Take Your Breath Away
by Darkness.of.the.Day
Summary: Because when someone offers you their love, offers you them, on a silver platter, only a fool rejects them. He guessed he was the fool." BlaiseDraco predominately in first chapters; DracoBlaiseGinny eventually. AU.
1. Liquid Confidence

**Disclaimer****: I own nothing, if I did, I wouldn't be writing this. **

Warnings: Fair amount of golden trio bashing will ensue. Also slash between Draco and Blaise. Rated M for language and such, not too rich on detail.

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Ginny looked over the compartment and was shocked to find it full; she hadn't noticed the arrival of Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, both before at prefect meetings, or Luna Lovegood who was quietly reading her latest issue of the quibbler. She seemed to notice Ginny watching and looked up smiling; Ginny smiled back as she started putting her magazine away.

"Want to come for a walk Ginny?"

"Sure," she jumped up, probably faster than necessary, and quickly followed her from the compartment. "Thanks, I never thought I could get tired of being with the famous Harry." Ginny grinned as they shut the compartment behind them.

"You looked like you could do with an escape route," she smiled.

"Where are we going by the way?"

"Wherever you like."

"Dean and Seamus? I saw them down here earlier," Luna nodded and we walked on. The blonde stopped after a couple of seconds however outside a compartment full of slytherin's. Ginny frowned at her, raising her eyebrows in surprise as she opened the door. The slytherin's inside looked up, mildly interested as the door opened and Luna smiled at a girl in the corner. Sitting next to this girl, who looked familiar, was someone in the year above who Ginny recognised as a boy called Zabini, next to him was someone who's name she couldn't pinpoint though recognised his face and then, sitting opposite, was Malfoy, lying across Parkinson's lap. Beside him was Crabbe, or Goyle, she wasn't sure which was which.

"Hey Luna," the girl in the corner beamed at her.

"Hey Astoria, mind if I join you?" Luna asked this to the group at whole.

"Sure, sure, we'll squish up" The girl called Astoria smiled and nudged Zabini along. Luna went over to the space that Astoria had made for her but the guy who sat beside Zabini rolled his eyes, pulling her backwards onto his lap.

"Theo," Luna moaned light heartedly but sat quite comfortably on his lap. Ginny placed the boy as Theodore Nott now, causing a fresh frown to wash over her.

"It's Ginny isn't it?" Astoria added to her, smiling kindly. Ginny stared; taken aback, realising she'd just been standing in the doorway like a gormless idiot.

"Um yeah," she said, still frowning. Astoria laughed at her frown but it stayed put, she had just realised where she knew the face from, she recognised her from classes, Astoria… Greengrass that was it. She'd always been nice to her, Ginny struggled to remember if she'd come off as nice towards her.

"Want to join us?" Astoria smiled but Ginny shook her head before finally forcing words out.

"Er no…" she was distracted by Zabini's grin, sure he was taking the mick, and Malfoy's smirk. "I've, got somewhere to go…" she trailed off, quickly turning away, and walking as fast as possible down the train.

Ginny just managed to get a hold of herself when she got to Dean's carriage where he was, unsurprisingly, sitting with Seamus and Parvarti who had gotten together over the summer. Dean smiled warmly at Ginny and she smiled back.

"Hey babe," He grinned and she kissed him quickly before curling up beside him.

It was a little while later, after she'd received a note from some Slughorn guy, apparently the new potions master, that she found herself in Slughorn's compartment, joined by none other than the 7th year Gryffindor, Cormac McLaggen. Ginny grimaced to herself as he launched into another tale, wandering when she could go. She looked up when the door opened once more, her eyes widening when she recognised Zabini. He looked from Slughorn to Mclaggen, with a contemptuous face but when his eyes lit upon Ginny, the other side of Slughorn, a smile alighted his features. He sat opposite her and watched her with a smirk on his face.

"Ginger," he nodded and Ginny looked out the window, blushing slightly.

"Good to see you're happy to be here dear boy!" Slughorn cried. At this Zabini's smile dropped abruptly. "Ginny, Cormac, this is Blaise Zabini, 6th year, slytherin. Blaise, this is Cormac Mclaggen, year above you in Gryffindor, and Ginny Weasley-"

"Yes we met earlier," Blaise said shortly and Ginny studied his features, he had high cheek bones and dark skin. He was without a doubt handsome, gorgeous even, possibly the best looking male in Hogwarts, aside from Malfoy; a proper ladies man no doubt. She struggled to keep a smile off her face but Blaise, who had looked out of the window, caught her eye and winked. She took a deep breath, looking away hastily as the door opened again and a Ravenclaw by the name of Belby entered. Harry and Neville followed not long after and neither of them so much as glanced in Blaise's direction and he kept away himself.

If it weren't for Ginny sitting opposite him, he'd have left by now without a sorry thought. If you asked him, it was just a way for blood traitors to show off their perfect bloody parents. Why he was there he didn't know; his mother was quite the opposite to perfect but he wasn't sure if Slughorn knew this.

"Ah Blaise, at last, tell us about your mother." He turned to Blaise who raised his eye brows delicately.

"Not much to say."

"Oh but there is, your mother was very beautiful, yes? I remember her in my class, glamorous even as a child," Slughorn smiled and Blaise struggled to refrain from rolling his eyes.

"My mother may have been as you said, beautiful. But it didn't help her did it?" Blaise said bitterly, though he didn't think that anyone, save Ginny who frowned ever so slightly, noticed this.

"Whatever do you mean Blaise m'boy?"

"She's a whore." he said shortly and Slughorn stiffened, pursing his lips. "Do you know how many husbands she's had? Seven. All of them died in mysterious circumstances. Now I wonder what happened there. And the remaining millions of galleons, what a coincidence," Blaise replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm. He sensed rather than saw Harry and Neville glaring at him and wandered why for that had probably been the nicest thing he'd said in front of them before. He guessed that they must have mistaken his sarcasm for arrogance; perhaps they thought he was _proud _of his mother's acts. He sneered at the word 'proud' but soon realised that this made him even more subject to the contemptuous glares he was receiving. Ginny said something 'witty' then at Blaise's expense which he was vaguely aware of but missed the punch line and so skipped over it. She'd probably picked up on his sneer as well. He sighed. Why was it so invisible to Gryffindor's that this is exactly why they don't say anything they'd approve of?

Slughorn dismissed them all then and Blaise moved away quickly, glancing briefly at Ginny who caught his eye before looking away immediately. He frowned to himself as he moved down the train to his compartment, thinking about the ginger. He opened the door and slid in, turning back round to check when the door wouldn't close properly. He shoved it across and it hit something hard. He pushed it again and it still wouldn't close. Blaise narrowed his eyes, looking up immediately as a thought came to him. Someone invisible was there. He felt the smallest flutter of fabric against his hand still gripped around the door as he tried to shut it. Potter. Only he owned an invisibility cloak inside the castle. He turned his head in Draco's direction swiftly, still holding onto the door. Draco, who had been watching Blaise the whole time, caught his gaze and they held the eye contact for a moment before Draco nodded ever so slightly and Blaise let the door open, toppling into Goyle's lap. Goyle yelled out, pushing Blaise off him forcefully and Blaise didn't hesitate to let him. He got to his seat just as the flash of a trainer jumped off the vacated seat and Blaise sat down, facing Draco who had watched the foot go up into the luggage compartment.

"So Zabini, what did Slughorn want then?" Draco drawled and Blaise smirked; jealous prick. Blaise noticed Goyle glaring at him from the corner and rolled his eyes at the boy.

"Just trying to make up to well connected people. Not that he managed to find any," Blaise looked up then, a smirk forming as he saw Draco was not happy about this news. Blaise struggled to keep the grin off his face as it would alert Potter to the fact that slytherins could smile. Which was of course something they refrained from doing in public. Being a heartless bastard certainly had its peaks.

Draco's eyes narrowed, he'd show Slughorn well connected… his father had had some of the strongest influence at the ministry but then he had got thrown in Azkaban which probably didn't impress Slughorn. He felt a sharp pain in his throat when he thought about his father and had to swallow quickly, hoping no-one had noticed though of course Blaise had; he was watching him with concern and, was that pity? His muscles tightened.

"Who else had he invited?" Draco asked quickly

"McLaggen from Gryffindor," Blaise drawled, building himself up.

"Oh yeah his father's big in the ministry," Blaise bit his lip to stop from grinning at Draco who was trying with all his strength to look oh so high and mighty in front of the others. It was a pity it wasn't working on him.

"Someone else called Belby from Ravenclaw," Blaise said slowly.

"Not him, he's a prat," Pansy snarled and Draco felt the need, for the 100th time already that day, to sit up and tell the bitch to piss the hell off.

"And Longbottom, Potter and that Weasley girl," Blaise finished in a rush, watching as Draco jumped up, finally knocking away the vice like hand of Pansy.

"He invited Longbottom?" Draco said disbelievingly.

"Well, I assume so, as Longbottom was there," Blaise smirked and Draco's eyes, distracted momentarily by Blaise's tone, flashed at him and winked slightly.

"What's Longbottom got to interest Slughorn?" Draco demanded and Blaise shrugged.

"Potter, precious Potter, obviously he wanted a look at the Chosen One," Draco sneered for Potter's benefit above them. "But that Weasley girl! What's so special about her?" He asked, again only for Potter's benefit and Blaise supposed Pansy's as Draco held nothing against any of the Weasley's save Ron. Draco had even been known to laugh at the Weasley twins many pranks. He only disliked Ron because of him being in the Golden Trio. And that he was a pathetic bastard, but that was beside the point. As if on queue Pansy blurted out, her eyes studying Draco's face carefully.

"A lot of boys like her. Even you think she's good looking, don't you, Blaise, and we all know how hard you are to please!" Blaise was taken aback that she had dragged him into it and looked up quickly, a grin quickly flitting across his face before looking at her coldly.

"I wouldn't touch a filthy little blood traitor like her whatever she looked like," Blaise snapped. Malfoy smirked and sunk back into Pansy's lap, rolling his eyes when he caught Blaise's gaze as Pansy started stroking his hair again. Blaise watched with slightly tight eyes as her vice like fingers clawed through his silken locks time after time.

His attention was caught by a red head going passed the compartment and he grinned, thinking of Ginny. He was so caught up in his own thoughts that he only heard the last of Draco's little, off- handed speech.

"-Probably hasn't heard I'm on the train, or-"

"I wouldn't bank on an invitation," Blaise grinned, "He asked me about Theo's father when I first arrived. They used to be old friends, apparently, but when he heard he'd been caught at the ministry he didn't look happy, and Theo didn't get an invitation did he? I don't think Slughorn's interested in Death Eaters." Blaise told him as Draco let out a mirthless laugh.

"Where is Theo anyway?" Blaise asked Draco but it was Pansy who answered.

"Went off with the blond and Astoria," She said coldly. Pansy was obviously jealous of Astoria as she was paid so much attention from Nott and Blaise, even, usually when Pansy wasn't around, Draco. She also strongly disliked, or more distrusted, Luna and believed she shouldn't be given the free reign she was allowed amongst the Slytherin's. This had lead to an icy feeling between Pansy and Astoria, one of Luna's best friends. Ginny was apparently her other best friend but, as they all saw earlier, Ginny was oblivious to Luna's relationship with the slytherins. As a rule, Pansy now also despised Daphne, Astoria's sister in our year, who, in turn, hated all the slytherins and was friends with a crowd from Ravenclaw. Blaise wondered if the rest of the female species were so ridiculous, and figured that, from his own experiences with women, yes, they probably were.

Blaise was then aware that the compartment had gone silent and everyone was staring at Draco, or gawping in Crabbe and Goyle's cases. Blaise applied Occlumency to Crabbe's mind lazily, not overly bothered by the common occurrence of his fellow slytherins staring admiringly at Draco. Crabbe's eyes twitched in Blaise's direction but he was either too shocked or too thick to care. Blaise saw what Draco had said, that he had implied leaving school to work for the Dark Lord and Blaise allowed a look of curiosity and surprise to alight his face. Not because of the news; Blaise knew what Draco was doing and why he was doing it, he was merely surprised he was saying this when he knew Potter was in the compartment.

Malfoy said something clever, in response to Pansy's awed words and Blaise rolled his eyes before stepping in.

"And you think _you'll_ be able to do something for him?" Blaise said scathingly, putting Draco back in his place before he got too bigheaded. "Sixteen years old and not even fully qualified yet?"

"Maybe he doesn't care if I'm qualified. Maybe the job he wants me to do isn't something you need to be qualified for," Draco said quietly before quickly pointing out that he could see Hogwarts and they better get changed. He closed his eyes for a moment as everyone turned to their trunks, focussing on controlling himself in front of them all, especially I-can-do-no-wrong Potter.

Pansy, Crabbe and Goyle were still regarding Draco as if he was the best thing since Merlin himself but Blaise watched him with dark eyes. Draco didn't know what he was doing; he was out of his depth, way out of his depth. A gasp of pain from above Blaise made Draco spin round and regard the compartment curiously, considering what spell best to use on Potter. Blaise threw one last look at the silken haired god before following the others out of the compartment; leaving Potter to Draco.

Luna left Ginny, Dean, Seamus and Parvati in the Entrance hall and made her way to the Ravenclaw table to sit next to Padma.

"Hey Luna," Padma grinned turning round to talk to Luna.

"Hi Padma, anything new this summer?"

"Been dead boring with me but how about you? Anything new with Theo?" Padma raised her eyebrows and Luna laughed, shaking her head.

"There is nothing going on there, I assure you."

"Sure, sure," Padma laughed.

"How many times do I have to tell you?" Luna grinned and Padma smiled. "Just because you're in love with him." she added.

"What?" Padma demanded, her grin sliding abruptly.

"You fancy Theo, its obvious love," Luna said simply and Padma's eyes widened. _How the hell did she know that? _They hardly ever spoke. Ever. She just observed him from afar, watching how he enticed a large proportion of the school to his bed each night, hoping, although she thought scathingly of those who did, that this time, he might pick her.

"No I don't!"

"Who do you fancy then?" Luna asked and Padma glared at her for a few minutes before answering.

"If you must know, I fancy Dean." Luna almost chocked on her pumpkin juice and Padma's face flushed furiously_. Why, why did she say Dean? She could have at least said the name of someone single..._

"Thomas?" Luna asked disbelievingly. "With Ginny?"

"I know…" Padma muttered, wishing she'd said another name. Luna raised her eyebrows.

"Good luck."

"Thanks," Padma said sarcastically before Luna started talking to Michael Corner opposite her.

Luna was in the middle of discussing Nargle's with Michael, one of the only people in Ravenclaw who put up with her, when she saw Draco Malfoy saunter into the hall, ten minutes late. It wasn't this which struck her as strange though, Draco was always late, it was that, for once, he was alone, not accompanied by Blaise, his best friend. Her eyebrows went up in surprise, expecting him to appear having gone to the toilet or something. He didn't however. Luna caught Theo's eyes and he just shook his head, his and Astoria's faces mirrors of confusion.

Draco walked on past Theo and sat between Pansy and Crabbe. All the slytherins watched him with questioning eyes, asking him where Blaise was. Pansy was the only one managing to look smug about the confusion. _Cow_. Pansy had had it in for Blaise for years. Ever since he'd come into Draco's life as though he'd always belonged there and never left. Draco ignored them, as he did everyone, and his face took on a blank look whenever he caught anyone's gaze. Luna frowned but thought nothing more of it, until Draco started miming something to do with a broken nose and she regarded him curiously.

"Hey Luna, where's Harry?" Cho called down the table to her and Luna looked away from the slytherins to the Gryffindor table where, it was true, Harry wasn't with the others.

"Not sure… he was definitely on the train… perhaps he got caught by the nargles, I thought they were around," Luna called back, rolling her eyes as Cho laughed with her friends. Luna looked back to the Gryffindor table and studied it carefully. She guessed that something had happened to Harry as Ron and Hermione were looking around worriedly. Luna turned back round and as she heard the raucous laugh's from slytherin, she put two and two together. Draco Malfoy.

Luna watched him closely for the rest of the evening, noting how he seemed not to care much when his head of house was declared defence against the dark arts teacher and didn't care to listen when Dumbledore himself was talking, quite content with levitating his spoon. Luna jumped up from her seat as soon as the hall was dismissed; meaning to talk to Astoria or Theo but Ginny was making her way across the hall towards Luna who made a split second decision and turned her back on Ginny, pretending she hadn't seen her, and making towards the Entrance Hall. The hall was packed and Luna could scarcely see any Slytherins, let alone the ones she wanted. She stayed in the hall, hoping to spot them, until all the stragglers had come passed her.

Luna made her way towards the dungeons and stopped when she got to the slytherin common room. She cursed when she realised Astoria had not yet got round to getting the password herself, let alone giving it to her. Spinning round at the sound of footsteps and was relieved to see only Daphne coming down the stairs; the teachers didn't like the thought of students of different houses dropping in on each other.

"Luna? What are you doing down here?"

"I need to speak to Astoria but I don't know the password."

"Just come in with me but for future reference the password's Salazar," Daphne made a face as the portrait opened and they both stepped in.

Ginny watched in shock from behind the statue as Daphne Greengrass let Luna inside the Slytherin common room as if it was a commonplace occurrence. She stared for a second or two at the common room entrance and, with a second's hesitation, said the password out loud. It opened and she crept in, hiding behind the wall. Ginny searched the room, keeping herself carefully hidden in the alcove through which you had to step to enter the common room. Ginny saw Luna deep in conversation with Nott and Astoria, the three of them casting furtive glances in Malfoy's direction. Ginny stared for a moment, wondering what to do when it occurred to her that sooner or later someone was going to either enter or leave the common room. She quickly turned back round and made to open the door when Malfoy's drawl caught her attention.

"The pathetic bastard won't know what's hit him when _he_ comes back to power. You all know how easy it was for me to knock him out on the train; he's just lucky old Dumbledore's keeping tabs on him…" He must have been talking about Harry who had come to the great hall halfway through dinner sporting a bloody nose. Ginny's eyes narrowed and it took all her self control to turn away and stop herself hitting Malfoy with a curse… but then that seemed a highly foolish thing to do right then; hexing the slytherin leader when surrounded by his whole house who would jump to his aid in a moment. Sighing, Ginny quickly slipped out of the room, vowing to talk to Luna the first chance she got.

"Ginger?" Blaise called out, seeing someone walking swiftly away from the Slytherin common room, casting furtive glances behind her. Though he couldn't be sure, his eyes slightly glazed from drink. She looked up, eyes wide like a rabbit's caught in the headlights. She froze and Blaise raised an eyebrow, walking towards her.

"Lost?" he smirked, knowing full well she wasn't. She seemed incapable of thinking, let alone talking. He could practically see her mind whirring trying to think of something to say.

"Something like that," She finally blurted out, a blush at being caught colouring her face now that the shock has subsided.

"Care to explain why you've been in my common room?" Blaise asked silkily, inconspicuously taking a couple of steps towards her.

"Umm…" Ginny struggled to form a sentence, her mind for once utterly lost for words. It didn't help that Zabini was slowly getting closer. Yes, she had noticed that. He was swaggering more than normal; obviously he'd been on the drink.

"It's not safe you know, a little lion, running into the snake's lair," Blaise murmured in her ear.

Ginny was forced to take a deep breath to steady herself, as his scent washed over her quite dizzyingly. They were close enough to touch, so close that she was surprised by how much she had to look up to see his eyes.

He looked down; she looked up. Their lips were millimetres apart. His right hand was stroking along her waist whilst his left was tracing along her jaw. She couldn't breathe, she could hardly stand, lust and want clawed at her mind and she moved ever so slightly closer.

She could feel the closeness of him, the proximity of his flawless lips to her own. She wanted him so bad in that moment that the tiniest moan escaped her lips.

His hooded eyes flashed as his lips captured hers.

She was entirely lost in him the moment those lips met hers. He had pushed her up against the wall, sucking and nibbling her lip with fluent expertise whilst she was doing all she could to keep conscious, her hands raking through his hair. Blaise's hand moved from her waist to the bottom of her shirt. His eyes darted to hers in request and she just continued to kiss him. He took this as a yes and his hand rose up her shirt as he sucked her lower lip till it was sore with pleasure. His hand cupped her breast and tweaked her already hard nipples. She groaned, gripping his hair tighter. Not taking her eyes off his, she moved her hands to his collar where she slowly began unbuttoning his shirt. Her hands were shaking the further down she got and Blaise took over, not moving his lips from hers. As soon as the last button was undone, Ginny tugged it forcefully off him. In this time, Blaise had already removed her shirt and she pressed herself even closer to him, relishing the feeling of his skin on hers. Ginny's fingers traced along his abs, gradually making their way down past his belly button. It was her turn to ask and he nodded, lust clouding his eyes. She slowly unzipped his trousers and stroked along his length. He groaned.

Draco watched, leaning against the wall several feet from them. He recognised his friends shields, recognised that no-one was supposed to see them. But Blaise's and his shields were much too similar for him to miss one as clearly as this. It did nothing to hide the scene from Draco's eyes therefore. He leant on the wall, arms crossed over his muscled chest, dark eyes watching the couple. Anyone who didn't know him, in other words anyone but Blaise, would think him bored. A middle-aged pervert who needed more action to get off on; Draco's body language could quite easily be linked to that.

But he wasn't watching them for fun, as Blaise would know, had he of seen him, he barely even noticed the fucking bitch who looked like she wouldn't mind eating his counterpart. The one who was capturing the bitch's lips so expertly, as he had seen a thousand times before, was claiming all his attention.

He wasn't sure how long he'd been there; he had come looking for Blaise, to apologize, when mere feet from the fucking common room he had come across him and _her_. That bitch.

When he saw her unzip his trousers he had to fight hard not to cry out and tear her from him. But he knew he deserved it. He had pushed Blaise away, he deserved this punishment for that. He had rejected him, shrugged off his best friend, the one who had never failed to stand by him, with him. Blaise had been waiting for Draco to come off the train, he had attempted to comfort Draco but he had shrugged Blaise off. Now he watched his raven, feather-haired prince with agony, a pain likened to that of a knife, tearing through his chest.

Because when someone offers you their love, offers you them, on a silver platter, only a fool rejects them. He guessed he was the fool.

And so he stood there, propped up by the wall, still as a statue as he fucked her again, and again.

And he tried to remember how to deal with pain.

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_Read and review if you have the time ^_^ When I have the time, i shall update whether there are reviews or not =)_


	2. Sweet Words & Sweeter Touches

_Second chapter,, I know noone read the first but personally I like this fic and enjoy writing it so I wanted to carry on. I think this chapter's better than the previous one. _

_I wanted to clear a few things up, firstly, yes this is a predominately DracoBlaise fic but I am unsure at the moment as to whether Ginny will join them or not. It depends how I feel._

_**Disclaimer:** I own nothing (sadly) except for any characters you do not recognise (:_

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Blaise was disorientated when he woke up, a pounding headache and aching limbs to accompany him.

He staggered to the bathroom with his eyes half closed, splashing his face with water whilst he tried to remember what the hell had happened the night before. He definitely remembered going into Hogsmeade and getting drunk. He was positive he got back in to the castle unseen until he got to the dungeons. But on second thoughts he couldn't remember even getting to the dungeons.

He groaned loudly and walked back into his bedroom, peeling his pyjama top off.

"Eurgh… what time is it?" Blaise froze.

_What the fuck? _

Turning slowly on the spot he found the red head sitting on his bed. What the _hell _was she doing in his bed? Well he could guess the answer to that but why the _fuck_ would he have been with her in the first place?

"Care to tell me what the fuck you're doing in my bed?" He raised an eyebrow expectantly when she just frowned, looking slightly put out.

"Er… what do you mean? Don't… don't you remember?" She looked vaguely insulted but Blaise didn't care, he just wanted her out.

"No I don't remember, else I wouldn't be fucking asking you would I?" He growled out, trying to keep his temper in check.

She swallowed and he wandered if he'd frightened her, not particularly caring if he had.

"Um, well it sort of… started in the dungeon corridor," she cast a slightly frightened look at him then, "and then we, er, stopped and there was a boy in the corridor so you, er, said something to him and, and we came here to… to carry on." She glanced at him again and then quickly looked down. She was gradually beginning to look more and more mortified.

"A boy? What boy?"

"Slytherin, he was blonde I think, I don't remember what he looked like, I wasn't really paying attention…" She trailed off, looking at him uncertainly.

"Blonde?" Blaise's head snapped up.

"Yes."

"Did you, could you tell how old he was?"

"He looked about your year I guess. As I said, I hardly looked at him; he didn't look too happy to see us and, er, you didn't look too happy to see him."

Fuck.

Just fuck.

"Get out." He said shortly. The youngest Weasley looked rather startled but, with a quick glance in his direction, swiftly changed and left.

What the hell was he going to do? He was so fucked it was unbelievable.

After so fucking long of not having sex and he finally caved with a Gryffindor. And not just a Gryffindor, but a blood traitor Weasley.

Pansy hadn't been so happy in a long time. Not since before _he_ came along anyway. She glared at her own reflection in the mirror, remembering how before _him_, she and Draco were to be married. But today… Well, today she was going to take back what belonged to her and fuck Blaise if he tried to stop her. He had lost his chance with Draco when he fucked that red bint in the corridor. Most of the Slytherins had heard about _that_ little escapade.

She got up to fetch her cloak from her closet, checking her hair as she did so. That was one of the best things about being Slytherin; if you had half a decent enough surname, you were automatically granted a private room for your final two years.

Smirking to herself, she walked from the room.

"Luna! Hey Luna!" The blonde looked over her shoulder to see Padma rushing down between the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables.

"What's wrong?" she asked as Padma reached Luna's seat.

"Have you seen Ginny this morning?"

"No, why? Has something happened? Is she alright?" Luna asked, worried for her redheaded friend.

"I was talking to her in the corridor and then she saw something over my shoulder and she started gibbering on about some homework she left in the library and ran off." Padma frowned at Luna who was preoccupied with searching the Slytherin table. "She was scared Luna, scared of whoever she saw. I turned around just in time to see a Slytherin, I couldn't tell who, turn tail and walk in the opposite direction."

Luna turned back to her breakfast, contemplating what Padma had just told her.

"I'll see what's going on," She told Padma, swiftly standing and approaching Theo where he waited in the Entrance Hall. She motioned to Astoria, who was watching from the Slytherin table, to accompany her.

She though she saw Padma start after her but she must have thought better of it for she soon took up a seat next to Michael Corner.

"Hey darling, what's up?" Theo murmured from behind when Luna caught up to him, snaking his arms around her waist, and she turned round to find his face disconcertingly close. Astoria was standing to his side, smirking at Luna.

"Where are Draco and Blaise?" Luna questioned, twirling out of Theo's hold.

Theo rolled his eyes. "In each others bed no doubt."

Luna smacked him lightly on the head, "Just because you think they're fuck buddies Theo." Theo smirked and winked.

"I saw Draco early this morning," Astoria started slowly, "he was walking in from the grounds."

"In from the grounds? He'd been out there all night?" Luna asked sharply and Theo's brow creased slightly.

"Where's Ginny?" Astoria asked for their blonde friend was generally in her company during the school day.

"Wouldn't I like to know. Padma said she was acting strange earlier…" Luna quickly filled the two in on what had happened.

"Blaise," Theo stated. "Blaise. It's got to be, that would explain why he was looking so goddamn pissed this morning, he nearly made some first year Ravenclaw's piss themselves earlier…"

Luna paused for a moment, caught in thought, Ginny was scared of Blaise, Blaise was avoiding Ginny, and Draco was spending the night out in the grounds.

"Damn," Luna stated quietly and Astoria snorted without humour.

"Great, this is just _real_ great," she said sarcastically.

"Ginny wouldn't have just slept with someone like that though…" Luna said, defending her friend.

"How many people do you know who have ever said no to a Zabini?" Astoria asked, smirking.

Theo sighed, "I do wish we didn't have to worry about everyone else's love life, I have enough to worry about as it is…"

"Yes I am terribly sorry to have to draw you away from your entourage of girls and the dilemma of which lucky one will get to fuck you this week," Astoria rolled her eyes at Luna and Theo just winked.

"You two just wish you were in the running, and you know as well as anyone, it's not just girls," He grinned, wondering, once again, why the blonde would never fuck him. As far as he knew, she'd never fucked any of the Slytherins. Maybe she didn't trust them. He was drawn out of his thoughts by Astoria's voice.

"Hope you're not forgetting you're their best friend Theo" Astoria said it lightly but there was a hard undercurrent to her voice and despite her smile, her eyes were like ice.

"Of course not," He snarled. How _dare_ she suggest he did not care for his best friends? Astoria's eyes flashed.

"Good. Wouldn't want your allegiances wavering now would we? It wouldn't look good if anyone thought you cared more about those whores than you do for your best friends," She spoke softly, dangerously and Theo fought the urge to hit her.

"Astoria…." Luna murmured warningly, not taking her eyes off of Theo.

"Go fuck yourself Astoria," He snapped, nearly shaking with anger.

"Or what Theodore?" She drew her upper lip back, looking positively frightening. But Theo had grown up in Death Eater households; it took more than her to frighten him.

"Or I'll turn every last fucking Slytherin against you. I'll make our House curse your name, make them wish for your blood."

"As if they'd listen to you," She replied scathingly but a flicker of doubt and fear had crept into her voice. He took a step closer, whispering in her ear.

"You think _they'd_ listen to you over me? You, the sister of the one who left us? You know they don't trust anyone, you know they have doubts about you. Do you want to give them a reason to turn their backs?" She knew who he meant by 'they'; Draco and Blaise, the Slytherin princes. A spark of fear alighted her eyes and Theo smirked triumphantly, "Thought not."

With that he walked away, leaving Astoria a shaking mess. Luna swiftly cast a glamour over her friend and led her swiftly through the entrance hall out onto the grounds. They walked all the way across the lake till they were on the very edge of the forest. There she lifted the glamour and allowed Astoria to fall to the ground in tears, away from any prying eyes. Luna knew Astoria would never have forgiven her had she let her be seen in her current state.

Luna knelt down beside her friend, holding her close, stroking a hand through her hair. Astoria had her head on Luna's breast and her arms around her waist, gripping onto her robes as though to keep her there.

Luna was the only person Astoria had ever cried in front of. Even her own sister had never seen her cry. Slytherins didn't cry. Slytherins didn't show emotion to any but those closest to them. Usually that meant that nobody outside of Slytherin had ever seen one cry. But it happened occasionally. It happened now. She trusted Luna with her life. Luna was her best friend; sometimes she felt she was her only friend. Except for Theo. Theo was her friend; she should never have said what she had. He loved Draco and Blaise, truly loved them and had been forever loyal to them. To suggest he cared for his whores more… It was a ridiculous idea.

"Theo will forgive you," Luna said softly, as though reading her mind.

"I wouldn't blame him if he didn't… I don't know what came over me. It was just when he was joking about all those girls. It just made me angry I guess."

"He should know better by now not to risk a Greengrass' anger," She smiled, making light of it, until she saw Astoria's still unhappy face, "They're your princes, you were worried for them. Your whole house worries for them, I see it in their eyes. Hell, even I worry for them. You all look up to them with such devotion… even Harry hasn't got that sway over his House."

"That's because Potter's not half the man they each are," she sneered. Luna laughed.

Astoria mused over that; a year ago, Luna would have jumped to his defence. Now she did not offer anything. Despite herself, she laughed aloud.

"What?" Luna frowned. Astoria sat up, her eyes shining.

"You're turning Slytherin," She stated simply and Luna did not attempt to argue. She had felt it too, gradually coming upon her as she became closer and closer to Astoria and, slowly, as she was accepted by the House. Only then, after all, was she allowed inside the common room.

"We'll go find Ginny at lunch," she said, smiling.

How had this happened? _How?_

What the hell had she been thinking, fucking a Slytherin in the dungeon corridor? And not just any old Slytherin. Oh no, she had to go and fuck one of the Slytherin fucking princes didn't she.

It also didn't help that she'd remembered, as she practically ran back to her own dormitory this morning, the other boy in the corridor having eyes of the most curious shade of mercury. Only one boy had those eyes; Draco Malfoy.

Of course, there had been many a rumour over the past year or two that the two Slytherin princes were not, as was widely assumed, just best friends. If these rumours turned out to be true, and Zabini had essentially cheated on Malfoy with _her_… no wonder he'd been so pissed.

And despite the fact that the two Slytherin princes surely thirsted for her blood right then, she could not help but be impossibly attracted to them. She couldn't help but long for those lips to be on hers once again, for his hands to cup her breasts…

But whilst she was imagining this, they were most assuredly planning ways to kill her, or at least torture her, as embarrassingly as possible.

Oh, she was _so_ royally screwed.

She couldn't say she was that surprised therefore, when she found herself accompanied by both Luna and Astoria in the library.

"Hey Ginny," Luna announced, with a genuine smile on her face which Ginny herself returned. Astoria, however, was not bothering with pretences, not today.

"Did you or did you not fuck Blaise Zabini in the dungeon corridors last night?" She demanded without troubling to lower her voice despite Ginny's frantic hushing gestures.

"Not so loud!" She hissed, dragging them both further into the shadows. Astoria swiftly drew her arm from Ginny's grasp; pureblood or not, she was still Gryffindor.

"Astoria, relax," Luna murmured, placing a calming hand upon Astoria's arm and squeezing it gently. Astoria looked at Luna and when their eyes met a thread of understanding seemed to pass between them.

"Sorry, Ginny, I didn't mean to be quite so blunt," Ginny made a non-committal gesture and Luna prompted her for an answer. "So? Is it true then?"

Ginny stared at the book she was fingering the pages of and, with a deep sigh, nodded her head. There was a sharp intake of breath from Luna but Astoria, whom had had a lifetime of training her face to stay an expressionless mask, spoke calmly to Ginny. After all, she figured, it wasn't as though Ginny was the first girl either one had enticed with their sweet words and sweeter touches.

"Did anyone else see you last night?" Luna asked calmly and there was something so honest, so trusting, in her eyes that Ginny felt compelled to tell her.

"Yes." She replied in a small voice, her deep brown eyes showing sparks of terror. "It was him; it was Draco."

_Well that explains why he was out in the grounds last night,_ Astoria thought.

"Was he drunk? Blaise, was he drunk?" Luna asked shortly.

"Erm…" Ginny rubbed her eyes, "yeah, I remember, before anything started, I remember him walking towards me, he… he didn't have his usual grace about him. Is he… is Malfoy angry?" She asked, a hint of worry in her voice.

Astoria raised a sardonic eyebrow as if to say 'what do you think'.

"We've only seen him briefly this morning," Luna told her.

"How did he look?" Ginny asked.

Astoria smiled humourlessly and said simply, "Slytherin.' With that Luna said they should go to charms and the three walked out, Astoria leaving to find her own house after promising Luna she'd be at the normal place at lunch.

Theo was sat on one of the sofas in the common room. He had a free period and, seeing as it was the first official day of term, he had no work. He reflected on that for a moment; it was the first day of term yet his House had already been thrown into turmoil. All of them had sensed something was up, even the younger years, including those who had only joined yesterday. The younger years still knew Blaise and Draco by awed reputation, having spent many a family dinner in the company of Slytherins. Any pure-blooded child had been bought up hearing the Zabini and Malfoy names; it only differed if you heard them spoken with reverence and hardly concealed desire, or hatred and barely concealed fear.

Theo wondered what the hell Blaise had been thinking. He simply couldn't understand _why_ he would be inclined to fuck a Gryffindor. Even though said Gryffindor was the best friend of a certain blonde girl he had befriended, _she was still a Gryffindor_. If it were just a lust clouded desire Blaise had felt, then surely he could've spent the night with a Slytherin. Hell, every Slytherin's down on their knees begging to spend the night with either Draco or Blaise. Of course, it had been a long time since either had slept with any of the Slytherins, or anyone at all for that matter, much to the Slytherins displeasure. That was why it had come as such a shock to the House to discover what had happened. And would explain why Draco was so fucked up about it.

Slytherins routinely had one night stands with one another, but they understood better than the rest of the world that they don't mean a fucking thing. And it definitely didn't mean you were now a couple or even that you liked each other. Ravenclaws tended to understand this, and not to expect anything to happen from fucking a Slytherin, Hufflepuffs didn't really care and were quite happy to boast that they'd slept with a Slytherin. They didn't fuck Hufflepuffs often.

Slytherins _never_ slept with Gryffindors though. Not even Theo fucked them and they all knew how much of a slut he was. After all, he mused, he _did_ have standards. Snakes and lions didn't mix, let alone fuck. His whole House hated Gryffindor, mainly because they all worshipped Potter, the 'chosen one'. Chosen to die more like. Sure, once in a while someone got truly slaughtered Slytherin style and ended up in compromising situations. Never with Gryffindors though. _Ever_. But no Slytherin, least of all Blaise, could get properly _drunk_ from pub ale, which was what made Theo think it was something else, something stronger, he had been drinking. At least he had had enough sense about him to cast his glamour's; the Weasley wouldn't tell but if somebody else had seen… he shuddered.

Theo hadn't been alone in saying that Draco and Blaise were in each others beds, hence why they no longer took anyone else to bed with them. Many hadn't been happy about this. The rules amongst the Slytherins were that you didn't fuck anyone who wasn't single. Making out was fine, anything further was seen as base treachery. It was one of those unsaid things that anyone who fucked someone else's partner deserved whatever retribution they received, be it extreme or not, and his housemates would not step in to help. It was for this reason that nobody even _tried_ to seduce either Draco or Blaise, for fear of what the other may do to them. Nobody except Pansy that is. Pansy tarried constantly for Draco's affections, not caring for what Blaise could do. Theo had a feeling that Blaise only restrained himself because Draco asked it. Blaise was the only one Draco ever asked for anything from. With everyone else he just told them, but with Blaise he asked and Blaise, if he had been so inclined, could easily have declined. They were equals; neither could order the other to do their bidding.

This much Theo knew about them, just from their friendship. Rumours of them being more than friends were just that- rumours. Of course, they moved in sync with each other and seemed linked to each other on a wholly new level but despite the casual touches and kisses every so often, there was no proof of them being in an intimate relationship. In fact, Theo only joined the rumours in jest for he knew for a fact that Draco and Blaise had not been to bed together since fourth year. It had been the night the Dark Lord had returned. He had not seen the Slytherins party that long, or that hard, until then and he hadn't since. He'd remembered watching them dance, drunk as they were on 'La Fee Verte', the Slytherin drink of choice. He remembered the way Draco and Blaise had moved, the way they were so close they seemed to merge into one being. Being an outsider, you could no longer see where one ended and the other begun. There was such fire, such energy, in both their eyes and the longer they danced the more they seemed to glow with the darkness. He remembered continuing to watch them even as their lips met and they began ravishing each other hungrily. Draco's silver hair clashed with Blaise's black, Draco's pale skin shining on Blaise's dark. They were beautiful. They were beautiful and he wanted them then more than ever. He hadn't taken them though. Normally he would join the pair. Actually he _always_ joined the pair. Tonight though it was their sheer beauty which allowed him to content himself with Kenji Sakuru, another boy in their year, whilst they went to their room. Draco and Blaise had, of course, always had their own quarters.

Since that fateful night however, they had not once fucked each other, as far as Theo knew. And Theo knew quite a lot more than most, being their oldest and most trusted friend besides each other. And still Astoria _dared_ to question him. How could she, after all he'd done for her, forcing the Slytherins to treat her as they always did before Daphne left, convincing Draco and Blaise themselves to trust her. Well, not trust- they trusted very few- but be content that she wasn't about to betray them. Had she forgotten that it was because of him that she was treated as a Slytherin, and not the sister of a traitor? Did she not remember that it was he who had convinced Draco and Blaise to allow Luna, her best friend, into the common room that first day?

She can't have forgotten. But she was meant to be his friend. He was not going to be forgetting this one lightly.

Draco was sitting in Charms, idly wondering whether it would serve him best to kill himself, or kill the redheaded bint.

Of course, he didn't blame Blaise at all. He never _could_ blame Blaise and had never been able to anyway. Sure, he was pissed that he'd gone with _her, _of all people. If he'd wanted a good fuck, he could have gone with any of the Slytherins, or Ravenclaws. Hell, if he wanted to so badly that he would stoop to a Gryffindor, he could have fucked Theo. Theo wouldn't have minded it; they both knew their best friend lusted after them both and had watched them with clouded desire as their stretch of no-sex had continued so long. Of course, all three of them had fucked long and hard before. In their third and fourth years it wasn't possible for them all to be in the same room without them ravishing each other.

But that had all changed after that night when the Dark Lord had returned. Draco still remembered the way Blaise's body moved, the way his eyes seemed alight with a darkness which reverberated through his very bones. He remembered the feel of him when first he entered. No-one had ever made him scream like Blaise had. He knew then that he was in love with his raven-haired god. He remembered fighting to keep the words he wished to speak from falling from his mouth. He remembered desperately trying not to declare his love for the other boy for he knew Blaise could not return his feelings.

After that night, he refused to let himself sleep with Blaise again. Draco would not risk their friendship for anything. Occasionally, he would cave and give in to his lips and they would make out but never again had he fucked him as he so badly wished to. Blaise had tried to get him to. Draco had never told him why and he hated rejecting him time and time again. It killed him that he was hurting Blaise, something he had never wanted to do. But he'd done it, and each time he rejected him he'd had to see that familiar look of pain wash over his love's face until it was swiftly cleared and the Slytherin mask took its place. Since that night, he hadn't slept with anyone else either, much to Pansy's continued annoyance. Nobody else's bodies held anything for him anymore; Blaise was the only one he wanted. And if he couldn't have him, he wouldn't have anyone.

But then, last night Blaise had tried to speak to him when he'd come off the train. He'd waited for him to finish with Potter before pulling him aside as he jumped off the train. Of course, Blaise knew what Draco had to do. Blaise knew everything. He was trying to offer help. Draco accused him of being jealous and wanting to get the credit for killing Dumbledore. He knew that Blaise wasn't. He'd just said it in the heat of the moment. He hadn't thought it through. Blaise hadn't risen to his remarks though; he'd just held Draco to his body and kissed his eye lids, telling him he would be alright. His lips gradually made their way to Draco's, his hand sliding down to Draco's crotch… and then Draco pulled away. He saw the hurt flicker in his best friend's eyes; saw the pain shining in them.

"Don't," Draco said shortly, quietly.

"I'm sorry for making you uncomfortable," Blaise said tightly, his face once again expressionless.

"Blaise…"

"No, Draco, go run off back to Pansy as you so evidently wish to do," He snapped bitterly.

"Pansy? That whore? Why the hell would I want to leave you for her?"

"I don't know, same reason you've evidently grown out of me over the summer," Blaise's eyes were hard, no glimmer in them at all, just hard, endless black.

"Grown out… no of course not! Don't be an idiot Blaise."

"All fucking summer Draco. All fucking summer you've been acting like you didn't want me there. You've hardly said a fucking _word_ to me! I only know what the fuck's going on around here anymore because of Theo!" Blaise yelled, glad to have someone to yell at for once.

"So why don't you just go fuck him then?" His pitch matching Blaise's.

"Because I don't want Theo," Blaise said quietly, staring at Draco. Draco didn't even look at him; he just turned around and walked up to the school, passing through the wards like there was nothing there, leaving Blaise standing by the station.

Blaise kicked the wall, cursing loudly, before stalking off towards Hogsmeade, hands deep in his pockets.

Pansy was walking through the dungeons, waiting for Draco's last lesson to finish. She was pretty sure things were all over between him and Blaise; Draco didn't forgive easily. Which left him a free man. She smiled at this. The first true smile she'd shown in forever.

"Oh no, Parkinson's smiling, never a good sign," Came a drawl from behind her. She knew that voice. They never had seen eye to eye. Slowly, she turned to face Kenji with a withering look on her face.

"What do you want Sakuru?" Kenji's eyes flashed, a grin flitting across his face.

"Only to know what the ice bitch could possibly have to smile about."

"It's a good day. Must I have a reason to smile?" She asked, laughing casually.

"You're a Slytherin and a Parkinson; of course you must have a reason to smile," He smirked and she narrowed her eyes at him, "And you say this is a good day? Well isn't that curious…" He trailed off, taunting her.

"What the fuck are you on about Sakuru?" She snarled through gritted teeth.

"Only that… well, the whole of our House has been in turmoil today, but surely you've noticed that?" He raised an eyebrow at her and she took a step closer.

"What is it, quite, that you're getting at here?" She ground out and he smirked.

"Only that, well, many think that you would do _anything_," He stressed the word, "just anything, to get back with Draco. I was only wondering if you were planning something, and if so, what?"

"Like I would tell you Sakuru," She sneered.

"You'd do well to," He said simply, "Don't fuck with Blaise, or Draco, not today. If you value your life that is."

"Fuck off."

"With pleasure," He had just turned around as another voice called out and Pansy turned to see the second least person she wished to see that day.

"Pansy, my sugar flower, how lovely to see you," Theo smirked, taking her hand when he reached her and kissing it like a gentleman. Pansy fixed him with a steely glare before tugging her hand from his grip. "Oh and look, my darling Kenji is here also." Theo walked up to Kenji and kissed him full on the lips, relishing the feel of their wet warmth. They separated and Theo winked before looking to Pansy smirking. To her credit, she was looking extremely bored by the situation.

"Honestly, must you two eat each other _every_ time you meet?" She said, pursing her lips slightly.

"Hm… let me think about that one," Kenji smirked, putting on a mock thoughtful expression, "Yes, I believe we must." With that he turned again to Theo and licked the other boy's ear.

Pansy rolled her eyes and began to continue her walk down the corridor.

"Oh and Pansy?" Kenji called out and she turned with an expectant eyebrow raised, "Remember what I said." She watched him for a moment before walking away without another word. She turned around at the end of the corridor to see Theo pinning Kenji up to the wall, kissing the older boy as though his very life depended on it.

Idly, she wondered if it did. As hers relied on Draco.

* * *

_So... What do we think? If anyone's reading this that is._

_Oh, and just a quick note, Kenji's full name is Kenji Sakuru encase you missed that in Theo's section and started wandering why Pansy called him 'Sakuru'. _

_Review (: they make my day _


	3. Darkest, Deepest Secrets

_Okay, so this chapter is loong, sorry about that- i sort of got a bit.. carried away? _

_It's also slightly different. Well, quite a bit different._

_But I hope you enjoy, because I _loved_ writing this chapter._

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own anything, except for the characters you do not recognise. (:_

_**Author's note:** Kami~ old Shanti word meaning 'gods' or 'deities',, Yomi~ Japanese underworld_

_((japanese translation)) will make sense if you read it.. (apologies if the translation is incorrect)_

* * *

Kenji was lying on the ground by the lake, the soft blades of grass caressing his body, the gentle night breeze like a lover's touch stroking across his chest. It was late; later than he normally stayed out till. The sky was an ebony blanket, not a single star interrupting its darkness and the sliver of moon a mere memory of its former glory. The leaves were rustling in the trees; a few bats flew out here and there, others just giving the high pitched noise of their hunting cry.

Kenji heard tentative, jerky footfalls and turned his head minutely to see the intruder of his peace. As it was, he saw her before she even sensed his presence. She was limping; badly, trying to reach the lake for water. Her ears were pricked up and her head tossed constantly to the side. Edgy as she was, she had failed to notice her biggest threat lying not eight feet away. Kenji watched her move towards the lake, noticing the darker, congealed substance surrounding her back right leg. He noticed the white dots on her back that weren't quite so white anymore, mud splattered up her back. This deer had evidently been incapable of taking care of herself of late. Kenji saw her tongue dart out and lick her muzzle swiftly. She stood on a stick which snapped, scaring herself. She whipped around; looking for whatever had frightened her. Instead, she found Kenji. Having better eyesight than most, he saw her eyes widen slightly in fear and panic.

His own eyes stayed locked on hers, softening his gaze slightly. His well-developed eyesight came from his own animagus form; that of the wolf. He was a child of the night and he adored the moon. Most nights, he stayed out as late as possible, revelling in the safety of darkness, the glint of moonlight. More often than not, he relented to the wolf and allowed himself to change, stalking through the forest for food. The sight of the deer so beautiful, yet so _dearly_ delectable with blood running free, was enough to make the wolf in him long for the meat. It was this more than anything else, the yellowish tint to his eyes, always greater at night, which was now frightening the young doe.

But then Kenji blinked, and the need disappeared as swiftly as it had taken him. With in-born grace and long-learnt balance, he stood and padded on silent feet to the doe's side. She moaned softly, hoofing the ground nervously, not at all sure what game this strange being with the eyes of a wolf was playing. Bending down gradually with wolf-like care, Kenji slowly, so slow even he wondered at times if he was moving at all, offered out his hand to the deer. She watched him with evident mistrust, eyes almost crossing in an effort to keep his hand within her gaze. But when, finally, his softer than silk fingers found the scruff of her neck, calming energy pulsing through his fingers, all she did was shudder in pleasure at the contact; at the magic. So when, slowly, he stroked his hand down her back and over her injured leg, she didn't try once to pull away from the warmth flowing from the tips of his dark fingers; healing energy.

Kenji had always been adept at wandless magic, much due to the fact that it had been taught to him from an early age. Hell, before he had even so much as bought a wand, he could already perform simple wandless magic without words. By the time he'd reached his third year he could perform mild to complex magic with and without the aid of a wand. By the time he got to fifth year… putting it mildly; he was joint second-best at magic in the year. Second best to Draco and Blaise of course, both trained in armed combat since the tender age of three. He was joint second-best with Theo and Pansy, both of whom had, with Kenji, grown up with the Slytherin prince's and learnt partly through imitation. In lessons though, they always played down their abilities; performing to the professor's expectations, but never a smidgen more, allowing insufferable know-it-alls like Granger to continue existing inside their bubbles of self-delusion. Because when people knew your abilities, or more pressingly your limits, you became that much more of an easier target. The surprise factor was a delightful little tactic.

The doe's eyes, now slightly glazed over in pleasure, were still locked on Kenji's. Eyes he knew would bare the telltale glint of the wolf's hunger. Most animagus' didn't act like that. For most, the human and the animal were in ways entirely separated. When the human took on its animal form, the animal itself would take on the characteristics of the human and would not feel any attraction to the pursuits an animal such as itself should do. The animal mind and senses were utterly lost to the overpowering human.

But Kenji's was different. It was a long-learnt Japanese art; advanced animagi, some referred to them as. He remembered the night his father had taught him, as his father's father had and so on through the generations, taught him not to merely feed himself into the animal, but feed the animal into him. To embrace the animal, not overthrow its instincts. It had taken time for him to grasp the concept, finding it much easier to lose the animal entirely, but his father kept him at it and, after a mere few weeks, he had done it. 'Embraced his true potential', his father had told him, a proud smirk on his aristocratic face. It was this that enabled him to hunt, kill and eat like the wolf.

He still remembered the first time he showed the other's his ability. The way Theo's eyes had shone with wonder, the way Pansy's curious gaze broke through her passive exterior and the Prince's reactions... The way the Draco and Blaise's eyes had lit up with a desire to learn this new found talent. They had demanded that night that he show them how to do it and, of course, he had done. He had been unwilling at first, revelling in the knowledge of being more advanced, in that one aspect, than his peers. But then Theo had asked, and his young, nine year old eyes, his darling, innocent eyes, shining with such excitement had made up Kenji's mind for him. He never had been able to deny the other boy anything. Even when it came to leaving Hogwarts and he Kenji, having been born on the 31st August, should have been in the year above his friends.

As much as he had hated the idea of going to Hogwarts before them, his father told him he should and so he had prepared to leave his dearest friends behind. But then, mere days before he was due to leave, he was sitting with Theo in the grounds of the Nott's mansion. They were sat there, just the two of them, as the moon shone out overhead and the hour came closer to midnight, when Theo's face had suddenly darkened, his eyes full of grief. Kenji had asked what was wrong immediately, stroking the silken locks from his best friend's face, for he had never seen Theo upset. Theo had grown up with a stable childhood, unmarred by acts of darkness like his and Draco and Blaise's had been. And to see those eyes so innocent, filled with such sorrow, was enough to break his heart. And the younger boy, never having been able to deny Kenji anything himself, bit down on his lip and did something very uncharacteristic; he blushed. Kenji raised a sarcastic eyebrow, teasing the boy over what could possibly have made him so soft-hearted. Theo had stopped biting his lip then and looked up at Kenji. The sad, lost look was gone from his eyes, a fierce determination replacing it.

"You." Was all he had said. "Because you're leaving," He had then paused for a moment, as though determining whether or not he should speak his next words, "You're leaving me." Silence hung for a few moments after that. And then Theo had snorted without humour, shaking his head at himself. "You're right Kenji, I am going soft hearted."

But Kenji himself was gazing at the young boy not with scorn or laughter in any form; he was gazing at him with an emotion bordering on adoration; something he of course denied at such an age.

"No, koishii, you are not going soft hearted at all," Kenji leant forward, lightly pulling Theo's chin up with his finger, looking at the boy in earnest, "You need but say the word, and I will stay here." He murmured and Theo had looked at him, surprise and want clear on his face. ((darling))

"Stay. Please, for me," Theo whispered, gazing into Kenji's eyes. Kenji smiled, his eyes alight.

"I thought you'd never ask," He laughed and Theo pulled a face.

"Bordering on painfully cheesy here, Kenji," He had rolled his eyes, an amused smirk playing across his face once more.

"Sorry, my darling," Kenji had grinned, pulling Theo up off of the ground. "Let's go tell the others the wonderful news." Theo rolled his eyes again, but ran off with his best friend, happier than he'd been all summer.

Kenji had been surprised over how easy it had been to persuade his father into letting him go a year later, saying that he was only a day older anyway so it would surely not make any difference (which it didn't), and to his surprise his father had agreed. The necessary arrangements had been made with the school (or Kenji thought it more likely that his father had not asked but told Dumbledore) and he was no longer going to Hogwarts.

He had been ten years old then, not long after was when he finally mastered the Japanese art of the animagi, his father intent that he should learn before his arrival at Hogwarts. For weeks after, he would accompany his father each and every night through the green pastures, the darker forests and the encroaching hills. His father taught him everything he knew. Wandless magic, learnt first at the age of six, was soon second nature once his father had taught him the ways. His father had been intent that he should know everything, be able to defend himself without a second's hesitation due to lack of skill.

Because never again would a Sakuru be left unawares. Never again would one be left so lost and without a hope in hell of finding the way out.

He still remembered that night like it was only yesterday. He had been only six years old, a month or two from turning seven, when his two elder siblings had, accompanied by their mother, gone to the mountains. They had set out a few days before, taking few items of comfort for themselves but gifts for the gods. They had left to climb Mount Fuji, one of the most sacred mountains in Japan, believed to be the 'gateway to the Kami'. They had gone with their gifts to the hidden reaches of the mountains, to the temples wizards and witches alike had found and that they alone could reach. They had bought gifts and laid them before the temples of Kagutsuchi and Huchi, god and goddess of fire; Emma-O, god of Yomi, rejected by his own father, Izanagi, and Izanami, queen of Yomi, rejected also by Izanagi, her husband. Amongst the temples were those for Tsukiyomi, god of the moon and night, Hoori god of hunting and Fukrokuju, god of wisdom, amongst others.

According to those who lived in the mountains, his mother, sister and elder brother had all arrived and vacated the temples safely, as well they knew; their gods would not have allowed those who worshipped them to be harmed under their protection. They, who lived in the furthest reaches of the mountains, noticed every form of life which walked their mountain but Kenji's family had stood out. They remembered their faces exactly, even though they had spent but a second looking at them.

For those of such beauty were hard to forget.

There was a reason Masami, Kenji's mother, was called such; the name meaning 'elegant beauty' and again why his elder sister, still a mere fourteen year old, was named Fumiko, 'child of treasured beauty', for such beauty there never was. Those who dared to speak in whispers of the deceased Sakuru's, spoke primarily of Masami, the woman whom was elegance personified, who enthralled each and every gaze but who herself, had only ever been enthralled by one; Isamu, Kenji's father. When they were not murmuring words of his mother's revered beauty, they were talking in wistful voices of what-could-have-been 's for many had watched Fumiko, her hair long and dark, curling around her waist, an echo of her mother's and her eyes of churned chocolate. They had watched her with unconcealed desire, waiting for the jewel of the family to make her majority.

But they were not alone that day. No, they had with them another, the one Sakuru not widely spoken of for outspoken beauty and enviable grace. For few ever laid eyes upon Ayumu, Kenji's elder brother, 16 at the time. And, the irony was, that he was the most beautiful of all. If his sister had entranced full-grown men from the mere age of ten, Ayumu's beauty could have entranced the very gods themselves. With his dark skin, darker than Kenji's own mocha-coloured tones due to living so long in England, and even darker eyes which, occasionally, seemed so dark a brown they were almost black, the thickest lashes framing them perfectly. His dark silken hair curled around his chin, the longest he ever allowed it to grow, and on the few times he smiled, the way his face lit up would enthral the hardest of hearts. Though the only ones who had ever seen Ayumu, actually _seen _him, not just caught a fleeting glance, were his family. And a few of their father's friends; friend's from England and even then, they only ever visited alone, unaccompanied by wives or children of any sort.

Ayumu had never been to school, never had friends, never enjoyed in the pursuits of a child. Their parents had tried time and time again to encourage their eldest son to go to school, but Ayumu had been uninterested, even when his treasured younger sister left. They were living in Japan at the time, all three children had been born and grown up there, as had their father until he was eleven when he chose to go overseas to Hogwarts, and their mother until she was twenty and she moved to England for a few years. She hadn't stayed their long and, after finding Isamu, she had wished to return to her home country, a country which appeared to an outsider more sacred to her than even the gods. Isamu had never felt the same connection with the country himself but he loved Masami more than life itself, and he would have followed her to the ends of the world.

Isamu had loved all three of his children dearly also, though he grew tired of Ayumu's continued alienation from society; his refusal to integrate. Their mother had been quite the opposite. As Ayumu showed no signs of improving, she had looked over him, a desire to protect her favourite son stronger than her worry for his continued disinterest in the outside world. For she knew, from the time when Ayumu was a mere baby, she knew with a mother's intuition that he was special. And he was.

Ayumu was a dream walker. He had had another name at first, but as soon as she realised what it was that was different about her son, she began to call him 'Ayumu'; one who walked the visions. Isamu had been shocked at the sudden name change, at what the name implied more than anything, but as he watched his eldest son grow older, retaining an almost permanent glaze to his eyes, he knew that his wife was right.

So Ayumu grew up away from the other children, showing no inclination to join them. He would walk, some days not returning for days on end and return, utterly unaware of the worry that his absence had caused. Between Masami and Isamu, they tutored him from home, taught them as much as he would have learnt at school. But heaven only knew if he listened to a word of it.

They had taken him, occasionally, when he was younger, to others' houses. But they never received invitations again or, at least, they never received invitations which extended to their son. Because Ayumu frightened the children and, to be quite honest, he frightened the parents. He scared them because, at the young age of four, he did not know when to, and when not to, delve into people's dreams and desires, or when not to display them unwitting for all to see. The children feared the way he knew what they were saying, and the way he never joined in any games, just sat there looking entirely ethereal, even as a toddler. The parents feared what the boy could unearth about their deepest, darkest secrets and, more so, what he would grow to become. Such power… such power was both enviable and terrifying all at once. The only adults who had seen Ayumu and were not frightened, but reverently interested, were Isamu's friends from England.

But Ayumu's power did not help him that night. He, and his sister, were both able with magic, able to call upon both wandless and aided magic within a blink of an eye, and their mother was even better trained, the traditional Japanese art of magic long since entwined with her Western knowledge. But nothing helped them that night. For they had been in states of meditation for little over a day and, so calm and peaceful were they, that Masami for once did not have her guard up, that Fumiko did not even have her own wand at hand, or her animagus' senses in action, that Ayumu was so far into the shadow-world that none could reach him.

They were easy prey, easy prey that did not go unnoticed.

Isamu had enemies, of course. In England, he had spent the majority of his time amongst the Death Eaters. He himself was not one but, had they have remained in England much longer; he would surely have become one. Much to the disappointment and disapproval of the Japanese ministry. Because they knew, even though he had been in another country, he was one of the most powerful wizards in all of Japan and they would have been fools to let him leave freely. No, they had him followed. "Undercover" though Isamu knew straight away there was someone on his tail and, each day, he would manage to lose them and, each day, there would be another following him in the shadows. But he, like his youngest son, was a child of the night; the shadows they hid in to him were not shadows, but slight areas of shade. And he saw through them immediately.

Once he returned to Japan, he was called to the ministry and ordered to tell them what he had learnt of he-who-must-not-be-named and his followers. Isamu refused of course. A death eater he may not be, but he had become a confidant. Truthfully, he was the closest anyone had ever been to the Death Eater's and the Dark Lord himself without being initiated. And so he had refused to aid the Japanese authorities who had, over the years, attempted time and time again to blackmail, bribe and threaten him into cooperation. Needless to say, their plans had not worked.

So when, a few years before that fateful night, the ministry had decided they no longer needed him and it would be 'within the society's interest' to dispose of him, the assassins came as not much of a surprise to Isamu. Some of them he killed, others he left far from any civilisation, injured and going slowly mad and still others he left for his eldest son. For Ayumu was good at making people go mad, making their minds turn on itself, warping their dreams into terrible nightmares, nightmares they lived in until Isamu decided enough was enough, and ended their torment on the blade of a knife. He saved those particular tortures for the assassins who threatened his family, who very nearly killed his wife or children. And Ayumu, when his mother or younger siblings were in danger, was known to be _quite_ protective.

Isamu had not been threatened though for at least six months and, far from letting down his guard, he now forever had it up, trusting not a soul. He had begged his wife not to make their annual trip with the children; he himself staying with Kenji, too young was he to make such a journey. But Masami had insisted and so he had let them go, his heart heavy and a foreboding feeling in the air.

Isamu could not say he was surprised when officials had come knocking on his door to inform him that his wife and daughter had been killed in a freak accident on the mountain. He asked after his son and he saw the official's eyes go blank and say sharply that there was no other body, perhaps it had been lost in the avalanche, or maybe Isamu himself was mistaken. Isamu had nodded and, none too politely, closed the door in their faces. He knew immediately that it was not a mere 'freak accident', knew that the ministry of Japan had, eventually, managed to hurt those whom he loved. He also knew, and had done so for quite a while, that the ministry feared Ayumu almost as much, if not more, than they feared him. No, he was not mistaken when he asked where his son was and no, there had been no avalanche; they had taken his eldest son away and they would pay. They would pay dearly for that and the lives of his wife and daughter. He swore that day that he would see them hurt, he would see their eyes roll and their blood run through his fingers.

He was aware, though, that he still had his youngest son, his favoured child, to look after. For he had named Kenji, the name itself meaning 'intelligent second son of strength and vigour' because his wife had been entranced by their beautiful daughter and her elder son that broke his wife's heart with not only his alienation from society, but with his sheer beauty. And so Isamu had taken on the role of father and role model for his youngest son and due to this, had developed favouritism for Kenji.

The first thing Isamu did that day was send an owl to Lucius Malfoy, Marco Zabini, Anatole Parkinson and Andre Nott; his friends and closest confidants from England. He didn't bother waiting for replies, just packed up his belongings, and anything else his son may need, and, grasping Kenji's wrist, apparated to England.

Kenji remembered arriving in England; still remembered standing in the middle of that large, green meadow, looking around at the vast expanses of fields, only interrupted by the rolling hills and woods.

It was there, for the first time of his life, that he felt an undeniable sense of being _home_.

Which was slightly ridiculous, baring in mind it was his first time to leave Japan, his country of origin. But the mountains, the paddy fields and the cherry blossom trees had never been his home, despite their beauty.

This, this right here, was where he was meant to be.

His early assumption had only been confirmed when he met those who would soon become his best friends. Those who would soon influence his entire life.

Theo was sat out on the grounds, watching his lover across the lake. Kenji hadn't seen him, he was sure; even the wolf's eyes couldn't see that far. But Theo could, because Theo was a Nott; 'Personification of night', it ran in his blood. All those born into the Nott line had a curious affinity with the darkness, and unrivalled ability to see just as well in the darkness. Well, asides from cats. Possibly.

He knew that Kenji came out almost each and every night and, although he did not always go and join his best friend, Theo always came out after him, always watched him, even from a distance. Because Theo was no longer the innocent boy he had once been. He had seen too much, _done_ too much, for him to ever be innocent again. And he feared for Kenji's life far more than he feared for his own. Kenji was everything to him, without him, he was lost.

He still remembered the first day he'd met Kenji; he had been a mere six years old, having had his birthday the month before. Draco and Blaise had come with Lucius and Narcissa to their estate, but they hadn't been alone. Two other's had accompanied them. One, the father, had dark, rich skin and dark hair that reached in straggly waves to his strong jaw line. He had an aristocratic aura about him that even Theo picked up on at such a young age. Theo's own father, Andre, greeted the man with one of his rare, true smiles, indicating that he was a welcome guest. Theo's eyes then travelled to the other, the son. He had much lighter, more mocha-coloured skin, than his father but his hair, cut shorter, was just as black. It fell in front of his eyes and when he looked up, Theo could see, through the locks of hair, eyes of the brightest shade of green shining through. He was thrown for a moment, unable to do anything but stare, for never had he seen one with such dark a skin, have such light-coloured eyes. The boy was truly beautiful. They locked eyes for just a moment until Draco interrupted them and he looked towards the blonde haired beauty instead.

"Theo, this is Kenji," He told Theo, a knowing glint in his eyes as he came over and wrapped an arm around his most trusted friend's, besides Blaise, shoulder.

"He's a friend of ours," Blaise smirked, putting his own arm around Kenji and pulling the boy along. It was evident that Kenji had been bought up by similar etiquette for he did not say anything, or try to pull away, just grinned at Theo. Theo himself grinned back before they had all rushed off to the playroom.

Theo's father had carefully explained to him, not long after, that Kenji's mother and sister had, most unfortunately, passed on. He did not mention Kenji's older brother and it was much later, once he had started Hogwarts, that he discovered his existence. Draco and Blaise had known, of course. Though that was down to their ability to know everything and anything without asking anyone, than it was down to anyone telling them. For those two read minds like Granger read books. Secrets were a waste of space in Slytherin; he could tell you that.

Theo had grown up with the Slytherin princes, one of his earliest memories being with them, playing an excitable game of hide-and-seek at Malfoy Manor. He remembered Narcissa harping onto them half-heartedly about not ruining the furniture, but they weren't listening and she soon retired to join Samara, Theo's mother, in the drawing room. He remembered hiding under the large, leather sofa, grabbing a throw which he threw over himself to hopefully look like a bundle of blankets. He had thought it the best hiding place in the world, surely Blaise would not find him there. But he did. He had watched from under the sofa as Blaise had strolled through the large oak doors and, without a moment's hesitation, ran straight over to where Theo was hidden.

"Gotcha Theo," Blaise grinned, his own, darker face appearing under the sofa.

"How did you know I was there?" Theo had demanded after scrambling out.

Blaise had shrugged; elegant aloofness apparent even at the age of four.

"I heard you talking. Honestly, Theo, the idea of the game is that you keep quiet," Blaise had shaken his head.

"But I didn't say anything!" Theo protested and Blaise frowned.

"You must've Theo, how else would I have heard your voice?" Blaise was suddenly aware of something behind him and he had spun around, seeing Lucius and Andre standing in the doorway.

"You say you heard him Blaise?" Lucius had questioned, curiosity clear on both his and Andre's faces. Blaise nodded. "But you swear you didn't speak Theo?" Theo nodded. Lucius and Andre shared a look.

"Pardre, what is it?" Blaise had demanded of Lucius, his father figure at such a young age since his own father was not around.

"Where is Draco?" Lucius had asked.

"I'm here, father," Draco had announced, walking quickly through the patio doors towards Blaise. "Why has the game stopped?" He asked of his counterpart.

"Draco, darling, what is Andre thinking right now?" Lucius had questioned and Theo had looked in confusion at his own father. _How was Draco meant to know that?_

But Andre was looking with extreme curiosity at Draco who looked surprised but answered simply anyway.

"He's thinking about us," He motioned to himself and Blaise, "He's wondering what we are," Draco frowned, "he's amazed we can do it at such a young age, and so easily."

"Well, well, little prince, I'll have to keep my thoughts safe around you," Andre had drawled, a smirk on his face. "Tell me, Blaise, could you do the same to Lucius?"

Blaise sighed in exasperation.

"Must I? We were in a middle of a game," He muttered, glaring at the two men.

"Come, Blaise, it will only take a moment," Andre told him. Blaise sighed.

"He is thinking about Draco. He's amazed by his own son. And now he's thinking about me, wondering how we both have this gift."

"What gift? What is everyone talking about?" Theo had demanded, hating the idea of not knowing something.

Andre smiled, coming over and draping his arm loosely around Theo's shoulders, "You have some talented friends, little one," Theo rolled his eyes.

"I know _that_," Andre and Lucius laughed.

"Keep your thoughts close, Theo," Lucius had smiled.

"Can we get on with the game already?" Draco huffed, standing impatiently beside Blaise.

"Yes, darlings, run along now," Lucius had told them, and they had.

Theo hadn't understood it at the time. He already knew his best friends were ridiculously clever and powerful and talented. And beautiful. But he hadn't understood the mind reading act for a while, not until a year after that incident at least. But it didn't come as a surprise; so they were even more powerful than he first suspected, what difference did it make? They were his best friends, his earliest friends and he loved them dearly. He would never betray them, never could either. He had sworn himself to them in ways you couldn't just back track from.

Asides from each other, they trusted him the most out of anyone. He thought about the day their trust in him became first evident, the day they were not just friends anymore, but best friends, friends who would see the other through everything. And it was one of the worst days of his life.

Draco had been away with his parents, visiting Bellatrix and Rodolphus. Although he loathed leaving Blaise, his father had insisted he pay his aunt a visit and so, grudgingly, for he would have much rather visited with Blasie, he left. They had been twelve at the time. It was the summer holidays before their second year. Pansy was at her parents' estate in south France and Kenji was away with his father, visiting them. For Kenji's father and Pansy's, Anatole, had been friends for a long time and Isamu believed it important that Kenji see Pansy's mother, Marieme, as he himself had no female role model. Kenji had protested also, saying that he saw enough of Samara, that _she_ was his female role model. But Isamu, like Lucius, had not backed down; at thirteen, their sons did not hold as much sway as they one day would over their fathers. Theo, who would generally have then accompanied Kenji to the Parkinson estate himself, stayed at the Nott manor, not about to leave his other best friend alone in England. For Blaise's mother, Bianca, and her current husband, was staying at their English manor, instead of their Italian estate they spent almost all their time at. Blaise's mother was Italian, though there was African blood in her genes, hence how Blaise had received his dark tones. Blaise's father had been Italian also, holding the name Marco Zabini, though he had passed long ago. Blaise never spoke of his father, or his step-father's, none of them having stayed long enough for him to forge any sort of attachment to them.

It had been a hot day in late July, Theo had been ghosting through the Nott manor which was curiously empty, his mother and father having evidently gone out for entertainment, or business. Blaise had been at his own estate all day, Andre having told Theo earlier that Bianca had wanted to spend some quality time with her son. Theo had been walking down one of the corridors, idly wondering if he should fetch his broomstick and go out flying. Figuring he might as well, he was descending the stairs when he felt the customary tingle through his veins as he felt the wards around his house breached. A frown furrowed his brow. His parent's entrance would not make any affect to the wards. The guards would, but they were not allowed to leave the perimeter without express permission from Andre or Samara. Whoever it was was evidently keyed into the wards, or the alarms would have been set off, but asides from those who were away, only two people were keyed in; Blaise and his mother.

Theo was puzzled, Bianca would not have set foot in the house without a previous warning to expect her and she would surely not have let her son be free from her clutches quite so soon. He descended the rest of the staircase at a faster pace, clicking his fingers for one of the guards to come to him, which one did almost immediately.

"Who is it?" Theo demanded, already strolling out the front doors, looking around himself carefully.

"Lord Zabini, young sir," The guard had answered immediately. Blaise had taken on the title since his own father was no longer around to hold it. Lucius had expressly forbidden Bianca to allow any of her future husband's the title, and so it had passed on to Blaise.

"Blaise? You're sure it is him?"

"Of course, sir."

"Why ever has he entered from the farthest part of the grounds then?" Theo asked impatiently, the guard's responses too short for his liking. Another of the guard's appeared out of nowhere, barring his way. Theo growled, "Let me pass."

"It's about Lord Zabini, he is covered in blood, sir" The other guard said, taking hold of his arms, using his brute strength to pull Theo back.

"In which case he needs aid. Let me pass," Theo snarled, baring his teeth at the guards.

"It is not safe; the blood is not his own, sir," The guard had implored but Theo didn't give a shit whose fucking blood it was. He used his magic then to free himself, scolding the guard's hands where they held him and he ran, before the other guard had a chance to stop him.

Like a lightning bolt, he raced through the grounds, ignoring the stich in his side, so great was his desire to reach his friend. He darted through the trees, coming out the other side, at the very far edge of the wards where he had felt them breached. He stopped upon seeing Blaise.

His long, raven-coloured hair was matted with blood and his robes of deepest black, were no longer so. They had been torn in a place or two and blood was splattered up them, and his fingers, which Blaise now stared at in miscomprehension, something very rare for Blaise, were died the deepest crimson, his nails appearing almost black where the blood had dried.

Theo walked slowly towards his best friend and, carefully, knelt down in front of him. Blaise looked up, torment and pain clear in his eyes, his aristocratic mask cracked and instead a wild madness overtook it.

"Fuck, Blaise what has happened? What has happened to you?" Theo whispered, gazing into his best friend's eyes, true fear taking him as they toiled like thunder. Never before had he been afraid like many others were from looking into Blaise or Draco's eyes.

"He is dead." Blaise said, more to himself than anyone else. Dread steeled itself through Theo's blood as he forced himself to ask.

"Who, my darling? Who is dead?"

"Dead, dead, dead…" Blaise muttered over and over and Theo frantically tried to think of what to do.

"Who? Blaise, listen to me, you must tell me who," Theo had told him, taking Blaise's face in both his hands. Silence stretched between them and Theo was on the verge of fleeing to the Lestrange's and fetching Draco when Blaise finally answered.

"Nathaniel," He whispered. It took Theo only a second to place the name; Blaise's latest step-father. Swallowing tightly and not allowing any expression to pass across his face, or glint in his eyes, he spoke.

"How?"

Blaise looked up at him suddenly and there was such torment in his eyes that Theo wanted to scream, wanted to banish whatever had caused his best friend such pain.

"Me." Blaise had said, his voice cracking.

Theo stared for a moment before taking in his blood smeared appearance for a second time. He didn't know what to say. There was nothing he could say. For what could possibly be said to someone in such torment, when they have previously murdered their step-father? What words could _ever_ be enough?

"Theo, Theo, please you must understand," Theo was thrown only momentarily by his friend's use of the word 'please' but concentrated again on what Blaise was saying, "_She_ made me… They were both in the drawing room, I could hear them shouting," His voice sounded choked, each word causing him renewed pain, "She… called me in, and, and said some stuff about Nathaniel, about how he was too rich for his own… his own good. She was mad, I could tell that, but I… I couldn't stop her, Theo. I just couldn't." Blaise was looking at him with such desperate eyes that Theo couldn't help but feel his mask soften.

"Hush, Blaise, just because you didn't stop her, does not mean you are the murderer." He said calmly but Blaise shook his head vigorously.

"No. No, Theo, you haven't heard the whole story… She was saying all this stuff, saying how the money should be ours, that we deserve it… but that we'd only get it if- if he was killed. She said I had to. I tried to fight her, I swear I did. I tried to run away. But… but I couldn't. She… she was stronger than me," He said the last so quietly that Theo had to strain to hear. "I couldn't… I couldn't overthrow her. I don't know why. She was in my mind, I _heard_ her, but I couldn't block her out. And then she- she chucked a- a kitchen knife across the room and I- I caught it, by instinct you know? It was about to hit me in the face and then… and then she told me to stab him. And I… I did. He was tied to the chair, trying to struggle away but… but in his eyes, I saw what we both knew, that I would kill him. His body just went limp, his eyes closed and I only remember the first time the knife plunged through his skin. After that, the world went red."

And then there were tears, real tears, rolling down Blaise's face. He was shaking badly, and Theo feared for his best friend, feared what was happening to him.

"When… when it was done, she let me go. I didn't know where else to go Theo, Draco was away…" Blaise whispered and Theo silenced him with a kiss to his silken lips.

"Hush, my darling, I will call for my father, he will go to the Lestrange's and take Draco back here. I will take care of you, dear one," Theo murmured, laying a kiss on Blaise's forehead. He conjured his patronus and sent a message immediately to his father, not caring for where his parents may be; Blaise was more important, _far_ more important.

After a mere five minutes, Samara and Andre arrived at the manor, both rushing to Blaise and Theo's side immediately. They were stunned to say the least by Blaise's appearance but when Theo told his father that he must go and fetch Draco; his father had nodded immediately, and kissed his son's head before apparating.

Theo briefly explained what had happened to his mother and although her face darkened and her eyes hardened dramatically, the expression she wore angrier than any Theo had seen before, she immediately summoned the house elves to prepare the guest bedroom and together they took Blaise inside.

It was about an hour later that Draco arrived, running through the manor, demanding to know where his best friend was. When eventually he reached the guest room where Theo had remained at Blaise's side, Theo rather thought the blonde haired beauty was about to cry as well. He strode swiftly to the bedside and sat at Blaise's side, running hands over his body and through his tangled locks, before laying a kiss upon his forehead.

"Oh Blaise…" He murmured and Blaise, whose eyes had been closed in sleep, opened and found the ones they sought. They stared at one another for a long time. "I'll kill that bitch. I'm not kidding, I will," Draco snarled suddenly.

Blaise surprised Theo by shaking his head.

"No, Draco, no you won't," He said quietly, looking into Draco's eyes and something passed between them that made Draco's shoulder's slump.

"As you wish, my darling," He murmured. Theo stood to leave, feeling an intruder on the pair's moment.

"Theo…" Blaise said and Theo spun around, an expectant expression on his face.

"Thank you, my brother," Theo had not said anything, just nodded, before turning for the door once more. He was just shutting the door behind him when Draco caught hold of it.

"I don't know how to thank you enough Theo. If you weren't there… Blaise is right; you are our brother, as we are each other's." Something passed through Draco's eyes then, some form of regret as he finished his sentence, but it was gone in a moment.

"What else could I have done?" Theo smirked, "One of my best friends, caught in distress?" He kissed Draco's silken cheek before turning away and walking down the hallway.

Seeing Blaise in such distress had… well, it had certainly hardened his heart to the world. That a mother could treat their child so… the idea still seemed ludicrous to Theo.

His thoughts were interrupted by one of his fellow slytherins coming to sit beside him on the grass. She didn't say a word as she sat down, just looked across the lake at the same place he was looking at, Kenji, though Theo wondered if she saw him at all.

He sighed.

"What do you want, Pansy?" She turned to look at him at the same time he looked at her, and a spark of hurt flickered in her eyes. He felt a slight pang of guilt.

"When did you become so cold, Theo?" She questioned sharply. Theo didn't answer. "We used to be friends, you know, Theo… We _all_ did…" She trailed off, looking once more out into the darkness.

"You sort of messed that one up when you decided to obsess over Draco, darling," Theo stated simply, and her eyes looked momentarily pained.

"He obsessed over me as well at first, don't you remember?" She asked, still not looking at him.

Theo remembered. It was the year after the fiasco with Blaise, during the summer before their third year. They had, all of them, travelled to south France to stay at the Parkinson's. They did have an estate in England but, seeing as both parents were French; they preferred to stay in their home country. It was around the same sort of time that everyone _really_ started to notice others' bodies, which was of course the queue for a slew of obsessive girls and boys alike to follow them around like sheep. Honestly, it seemed half the young pure-bloods in the whole of France seemed to enjoy traipsing after Draco and Blaise. Theo remembered finding their desperation pitiful and embarrassing, but he allowed them to continue flirting with him. He'd never made out with as many people as he did in those three weeks. The others all enjoyed the attention as well, after all, they were slytherins; arrogant bastards all the way. They also found themselves with each other more often than not, finding each others' bodies far more appealing than anyone else's. It just so happened that Pansy and Draco found themselves together more often than not. Theo believed it was that summer, when Pansy fell in love with Draco. He thought that Draco loved her as well, though not in the same way. No, far from the same way. Throughout their third year, the slytherins began to discover not just each others' mouths but their bodies, and most appeared to spend the whole year positively high on sex. Pansy and Draco lost their virginity to each other that year. Theo lost his to Blaise, and Kenji to Daphne. For a while though, in fact most of that year, Pansy and Draco didn't sleep with any others, they become a couple, of sorts. They stayed together over the holidays but then, half way through their fourth year, Draco tired of Pansy. Tired of her bitching, of her jealousy of every other he so much as looked at, tired of her unending demand for attention. And he slept with another. Theo didn't even remember her name; someone from a few years above. Pansy was fucking furious but her anger didn't sway Draco's resolve. From then on, he slept around as much as anyone, much to the delight of every other Slytherin.

Everyone noticed the difference when, at the end of that year, Draco and Blaise both refrained from fucking anyone. After just one night together, they were put off the entire school. To say Pansy did not take it well would be to say that it never rained in England.

But, before all that… before that second year summer, they were practically inseparable; the five of them. They told each other everything, went to each other whenever something happened at home, or school. They were all each other's confidants.

"Yes, I remember that," Theo said quietly and at last, Pansy turned to look at him.

"I miss that Theo, I miss that so much," She whispered, her eyes glimmering with tears she would never shed. She took a deep breath to steady herself. "But that will never happen again, will it?"

"No," Theo said simply and she shook her head with regret. Because Pansy _had_ once been one of his best friends, he still despised to see her in pain and so carried on, "Unless…" He trailed off, not sure if he should risk it. It could make things better, but it could also make things a whole lot worse. Pansy turned to look at him with the faintest glimmer of hope in her eyes.

"Yes?"

"Did you take Kenji's advice last week?" Last week… it felt like an eternity that they'd been back at school. His two best friends had not spoken to one another since that night, still, and Theo simply couldn't understand _why_. Surely they could just talk it out…

"About not fucking with Blaise or Draco?" She sighed, "What else could I do? I knew he was right, as bloody always…" Pansy muttered and Theo grinned.

"Would you be prepared to take my advice then?" Theo asked, watching her carefully. He could see her contemplating the idea and waited for her answer.

"Yes…" She said slowly, "If it would help things to… to go back to how they once were."

Theo smiled wryly.

"How they once were? Too much has happed Pans, far too much… But I have advice which would help, I can promise you that."

"Come on then, out with it."

"You simply _must_ get over, Draco. He is not in love with you Pansy, he never was and he never will be," Theo told her, looking into her eyes, begging her to understand what a hopeless case she had been pursuing. "If you ever want him and Blaise back as your friends, you must get over him, there's no way around it, Pansy." She looked at him, her eyes devoid of all emotion, her face an expressionless mask once more.

"Are you my friend Theo?" Pansy asked. Of all the things he was expecting her to say, this was certainly not it. Theo thought carefully before answering.

"I want to be your friend; I _am_ your friend… But not- not your best friend, not like I once was. I don't… I don't trust you like I once did, Pansy," He told her softly and she swallowed back what were surely tears.

"I understand," She said, her voice shaking only a small amount.

They sat in silence for a minute or two, before Theo sensed her need to be alone. Swiftly, he kissed her on both cheeks and bade her goodnight. She did not reply but when he looked back, he saw her absent-mindedly stroking the spot he had kissed her with her finger.

Seamus was only half-listening to Dean as he continued to moan about Snape and the latest essay he'd given them. Seamus had already finished it, finding it quite a simple task and was not sure why everyone seemed to be finding so much trouble with it. He had asked Dean how writing what Snape had told them in class was so difficult and Dean had proceeded to give him a strange look, saying how Snape didn't even know what he was talking about.

"_Defense_ my ass… he worships the bloody Dark Arts…" Dean had muttered. Seamus just shook his head at his friend, himself rather enjoying the lessons, not that he shared that with any of his fellow Gryffindors.

But that wasn't the only reason why he wasn't listening to his friend; he was quite taken as it was with watching his friend's girlfriend from across the room. The redhead was curled up in one of the armchairs, staring out at the night, a preoccupied expression on her face, one that was there more often than not since they'd returned to Hogwarts. Seamus waited for Dean who, after glancing over at his girlfriend with a frown, went up to bed, and then, as it was gone midnight, for the one or two stragglers to leave for their dormitories. Eventually, it was only him and Ginny. She seemed unaware that anyone had moved since she'd sat down, near three hours previous. He stood up and stretched, his shirt rising up slightly, exposing his tanned stomach. He padded on silent feet to where she sat, laying a hand on her shoulder when he reached her. She jumped and spun around.

"Jesus, Seamus, you could have warned me," she laughed shakily, looking around. "Where is everyone?" She frowned, "what's the time?"

"About half past midnight," He drawled, falling gracefully onto the sofa behind him. She gazed around the room, looking so lost it could have broken his heart.

"You know honey; you don't need to look quite so depressed. It's not that late," He smirked and she rolled her eyes, standing up.

"I should probably be going to bed."

Seamus didn't say anything, just stayed where he was, watching her. She was unaware, at first, of his continued stares but she soon turned to look at him, her head cocked to the side curiously. Seamus motioned to the seat next to him and, slowly, she came over and sat down next to one of the few she could say she truly trusted.

"You going to tell me what's going on? Or am I going to be stuck in ignorant misery for all eternity?" He drawled and watched as she bit down on her lip, looking at him worriedly.

"Promise you won't tell anyone?"

"Of course, darling, when have I ever told one of your secrets?" Seamus smirked and she watched him for a moment, as if determining if he was serious.

"I fucked Blaise Zabini in the dungeon corridor last week," She said it in a rush, as though that way it would be easier.

_Woah. That was unexpected…_

He was silent for a moment, unable to do anything but stare at the windows behind her. She watched him worriedly.

"Please say something."

Seamus turned his head to look her in the eye.

"Well… was he a good fuck?" He smirked, eyes dancing with mirth.

She laughed in surprise. That wasn't the reaction she'd expected. Anger on behalf of his friend yes, no longer wanting to _be_ her friend, yes, but not this. No, not this…

"I'm serious here red, was he?" Seamus smirked and Ginny couldn't help but let a coy smile work its way onto her face.

"Not jealous are we, darling?" Ginny raised an eyebrow and Seamus winked.

"Just a little, love."

"Well, if you must know, he was. But then, he _is_ Blaise Zabini, what do you expect?" She sighed.

"How's Malfoy taken the news?" Seamus asked and Ginny paled, a look of loss surrounding her.

"How do you think? The way he looked at me at dinner the other night… like I was a piece of dirt on the base of his shoe. No, not even that, like I was a piece of dog shit on the base on his shoe."

"Come here, Gin," He pulled her towards him and she nuzzled up against his chest as he stroked his fingers through her hair, laying a kiss upon his head.

"Are you going to tell Dean? He knows something's up," Seamus prompted when she didn't answer.

"How? How do you tell your Gryffindor boyfriend that you cheated on him with a Slytherin fucking prince?" She muttered.

"Well, you can't continue as you have been. You have three options darling, either tell him the truth, stay with him but act as though nothing happened, in other words go back to normal, or split up with him."

"Oh why thank you Seamus dear for giving me such an _array_ of choice," She drawled and Seamus couldn't help but laugh. They were silent for a few minutes as Seamus continued playing with her hair.

"You know which one I'm going to choose, don't you?" She asked him eventually.

He smiled.

"Yes. You couldn't possibly watch Dean's heart break by telling him who you'd cheated on him with. You are also unable to continue as though nothing has happened because, darling, I know you; you are _not_ remarkable at persevering with things you do not care for. And as much as you should like to deny it, you do not care for Dean; you never have, overly. Let us face it; you only went out with him because I told you he fancied you and you still wanted to get back at Michael Corner. So really, when it comes down to it, there was only ever one choice. You know what you must do, and you know that I will be with you no matter what. Because, my dear Ginevra, that is what best friends are for, no?" Seamus asked of his best friend.

"You're right, as always," She grumbled, absent-mindedly tracing a pattern on his leg with her finger.

"I try, darling, I try," He laughed.

"How about your own love life anyway, Seamus? How's Parvati?" She questioned.

"How should I know? Pissed, still, I suspect."

"Because you're her boyfriend? Why would she be pissed?" She turned around so she could see him properly.

"Boyfriend? Honestly, darl', where have you been this past week?" When she continued to look confused, he rolled his eyes, "I split up with her on the… second day back, I think it was."

"What? Why?"

Seamus shrugged.

"I didn't like her. You know this Ginny, I told you, remember, that I didn't think it was going to work? That I didn't even like her so why I was going out with her was beyond me… It was all just a bit of fun for me," He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Why didn't you tell me?" She demanded.

"Well, encase you haven't noticed, you've sort of been the crappiest friend in the world for the past week, so sorry if I didn't confide my deepest, darkest secrets in you."

"Deepest, darkest secrets?" She snorted, "Hardly. I know all those already, darling."

Seamus sighed, "Oh, well, isn't that a nuisance," He laughed. "Can I ask you something, Ginny?"

"Fire ahead, I'm all ears," Ginny smiled, her finger still tracing its pattern on his leg.

"Why do you keep tracing 'Slytherin' on my leg?" Her eyes widened and he smirked as a blush coloured her cheeks.

* * *

_soo... what d'you think? too long and boring? too much kenji? _

_And as much as I appreciate whoever puts this story on alert, i would love you** forever **if you reviewed. _


	4. Never Let This Go

_Wow, its been a while. Two months? Sorry. I've had exams coming out of my ears and then I was away without my laptop for three weeks... But to make up for it, I wrote a nice, long chap. _

_Disclaimer: Same as ever, I regrettably own nothing. Except for Kenji. He's all mine._

_Oh and excessive love sent out to my reviewers! I will reply to your reviews at the begginning of each chapter when I get them because otherwise I never get round to it... **anamolly2010 **thank you so much for your review, it totally made my day :') there's quite a bit of them in this chapter, hopefully that will be enough for now? (: let me know what you think about itt. **Moonlight-Midnights **if it weren't for your review I dont think I would have got round to writing this chapter at all, so thank you so much for prompting me (: pluss it made me smile and you'll just have to read and find out, won't you? (: *laughs wickedly*_

_On with the story..._

* * *

Pain.

That's what this was.

Pure fucking pain.

Blaise was sat on one of the couches in the common room, anger burning in his eyes. Nobody dared approach him; even his best friends didn't risk his anger. Only one would, only one could stand it, but he was not talking to Blaise at present.

It had been six days.

Six freaking days since he had spoken to Draco. They'd _never_ gone that long without speaking before. Even when they were at opposite ends of the world, they still managed to speak.

And it was killing Blaise. He couldn't cope with this torture anymore. Sure he had attempted to talk to Draco, but whenever he so much as approached the boy, the blonde would pale, if that were even possible, and a look of fear would alight his mercury eyes. Whenever Blaise did pluck up the courage to speak, his mind would go blank, his mouth dry, just from that one gaze. Blaise hated that look. He hated that the one he loved so very much could possibly be frightened of him.

So, despite the numerous attempts, Blaise had barely been able to stutter one word to the blonde beauty. It was pathetic, he knew that, but he did not how the hell to put a stop to it.

His friends all seemed to be acting strangely at present, which wasn't helping anything. Kenji was forever caught in his own world; 'just thinking' was all he ever told them when they asked. Of course, either he or Draco could have found out in a moment what it was that was troubling their best friend but, having had the talent of mind reading for many years they had learnt to turn it off. They respected their friends' privacy, which was why if they ever did need to know what someone was thinking, they generally applied Legilimency. There was no protection from their abilities. Though mind-reading soon became dull, especially when surrounded by brainless Hufflepuffs and Potter-idolising Gryffindors, so they generally blocked it when within the walls of Hogwarts. Disappointingly, Dumbledore had expressly forbidden its use and thought that their discontinued ability was down to his rules. The very thought was laughable.

Dumbledore's magic did not even begin to counter theirs, with the ridiculous "wards" around the school which did not even cause the slightest discomfort when Blaise or Draco walked through them, their own powers countering the wards'. How Dumbledore expected them to be able to stand against the higher death eaters- let alone the Dark Lord- he didn't know.

Blaise could see Theo in his peripheral vision. He was sat on the floor, his knees drawn up, head resting against the cold wall, his eyes staring unseeingly at the ceiling. Blaise did not know what was up with him, either, as he had not asked. Though that was more due to the feeling Blaise had that he and Draco were to blame for Theo's pensive exterior. Blaise simply wasn't in the mood to hear Theo say it, because then he really _would_ have to do something about it. And, truth be told, he was fed up with Draco for the first time in his life. The blonde's continued refusal to talk was driving him insane. If Draco didn't want to talk, then there was nothing Blaise could do. The entire situation was so fucking ridiculous it made him want to scream. Everyone was carrying on, singularly blaming Blaise, when it was almost as much Draco's fault as it was his own. And he was fucking sick of taking it all, damn it.

It takes two to tango.

oOo

Draco was in the library, sat at one of the many desks. He'd never felt more depressed in all his life. It was almost a week since he had heard Blaise's silvery laugh, almost a week since he had so much as brushed the others' fingers.

At meals, they sat at opposing ends of the table, if they even turned up at all. During lessons, they ensured another was always between them. In the evenings, they never allowed themselves in the same room. At night Draco rarely returned to their twin room, which they had insisted years ago upon having.

The segregation was slowly turning him mad.

He knew Blaise had tried to speak to him on more than one occasion, though Draco could not bear to hear him out. For Draco dreaded what words of condemnation would spill from those silken lips. Draco was not one to be terrified easily, but the thought of what Blaise could say scared him more than anything. He didn't think he could stand the pain of rejection, which was surely what was on its way as soon as Blaise opened his mouth. He knew it from the moment he saw him with _her_ in the dungeons. Blaise had grown tired of Draco, and now he no longer wanted him.

Draco knew it, but somehow the idea of Blaise actually saying the words made it that much worse. It would mean that he and Blaise could no longer be friends, for how could you remain friends with the one you loved, when they did not love you back?

It was impossible, and Draco was not interested in trying.

Instead, he had taken to sitting solitarily in the library; not reading, not studying, just sitting. He could have gone somewhere more private of course, but at least the public place kept him from having a breakdown or breaking into hysterics.

The first thing he was aware of was her scent, flowery with a hint of peppermint, as she opened the door. Draco drew in a deep breath. He knew that scent well. That was the scent which had haunted his steps day and night. Neither nightmare nor dream did it appear to be, yet appear it did. One of his main memories from that night in the dungeons was the scent. His love's sacred scent, mixed with the redhead's. It was not a bad smell, yet he was unsure as to whether it was a good one either.

She did not notice his figure in between the shelves right away, nor immediately sense the pair of eyes trailing her across the room, as she browsed the non-fiction section. Instead, it was the noise of a wooden desk slowly splintering which caught her attention.

Draco hadn't realised he was gripping that hard as he watched her walk the aisle one away from him, the sharp splintering crack the only thing which alerted him. He looked down at his fist, gripped tightly around the edge of the desk. He stared at it blankly for a moment before his head snapped up at the sound of footsteps.

It was her. Of _course_ it was her.

She stopped in her tracks when he turned his eyes to her and, after a slightly wondrous gaze at the crumbled wood in his right hand, lifted her eyes to meet his. Draco cussed internally, regretting the lapse of concentration which had meant the desk's ruin. Not taking his eyes from hers, Draco swiftly repaired the wood soundlessly, before sitting back in his chair, surveying her figure with a raised eyebrow.

"What do you want?" He drawled, crossing his arms in order to restrain himself from breaking anything else. Draco did not take kindly to speaking to the girl who had laid claim to Blaise. She held his gaze for a second longer, before looking around nonchalantly.

"Merely browsing for a book; I noticed the book I sought was on your desk," she said simply, indicating the book before him with a tilt of her head. Draco stared at the book for a moment, it had been left there by someone before he had taken his seat; he had no idea what it was even called. He took the book in his hands and flipped it over to see the title.

With a derisive snort, he tossed it back onto the table. Forgetting his disagreements with talking to the girl, he questioned her.

"What the bloody hell do you want with that _rubbish_?"

She looked at him, slightly shocked, with her eyebrows raised.

"You do not enjoy reading philosophy?"

He snorted, "To the contrary, I adore reading anything by philosophers; anything which isn't written by _Plato_."

She laughed lightly, "Yes, I know what you mean. Personally I much prefer Aristotle's writings, Plato's are just too airy and far too centred around the 'omnipotent God'."

"Why ever are you reading him then, if that is the case?" Draco questioned, casting the book a dark look; she smiled.

"Because not only do I not like his writings, I don't _trust_ them either. I don't trust what people could take from them, wizards and witches I mean. If the magical population began believing there is _one _Christian God who rules over all… It would be the equivalent to saying the muggles were right for burning us at the stakes, for they say their god taught against magic. Plato is an enemy to the magical world, besides having been a half-blood wizard himself."

"That does not explain why you want to read his teachings, Ginevra." Draco replied, forgetting for a moment that he did not like the girl to which he spoke.

"Know thine enemy Draco," She smiled, before walking away to a far table, the book clutched in her hands.

Draco was left gazing at her retreating figure, wondering as he did what on earth had just happened. He had just called a Gryffindor by their first name. He couldn't recall that ever happening before.

"Oh, Draco, don't look so gormless darling," Pansy laughed lightly, coming over and sitting opposite him. Draco looked up, surprised yet again (something he was not taking to kindly); Pansy hadn't spoken to him all week.

He frowned curiously.

"Pansy."

"Yes. I must say, it _is_ good you haven't forgotten my name," she smirked. Draco smiled despite himself.

"How are you, Pansy?" She shrugged aloofly.

"You know, average. Yourself?"

Draco couldn't help but raise a condescending eyebrow.

"I'm not even going to dignify that question with an answer," he drawled. She smiled slightly, a look of pity crossing her eyes. After all, she reasoned, she _did_ know his pain.

That was another thing Draco wasn't taking kindly to; pity.

People simply didn't _pity_ Malfoy's. It was one thing when he saw it in Blaise's eyes on the train, but that was alright, because they were equals. But recently, to see younger students with much poorer lifestyles than his looking at him with apologetic, pity-filled eyes was driving him mental.

He was a Malfoy, damn it! He had everything money could buy. And sure, people said money didn't equal happiness and no, it didn't, but it was one hell of a lot easier to feel happy in expensive clothes with no bills. But apparently people did not only pity those with poor backgrounds anymore.

No, according to Theo, they also pitied the emotionally unstable. He hadn't thought to consider himself that before and had threatened to curse his best friend into oblivion if he didn't piss off pretty damn fast.

He was pulled out of his musings by Pansy's deep sigh.

"Honestly Draco. You aren't half going about this whole situation in an entirely hopeless way." Draco narrowed his eyes at her. Pitied and hopeless. This really wasn't a good day.

"Don't look at me like that Dray. You're my best friend, so is he," she twitched her head to the side, "sort of. But either way, I want you two to sort this out, like everybody else does. Please Draco; the house is suffering without you both."

"You think I haven't tried?" He ground out.

"No, I don't think you've tried at all," she paused, surveying him thoughtfully for a moment, "it's time to face your fears Draco." Then she, too, stood and walked away, following a head of vivid red hair out of the library doors.

Draco just sat there, feeling even worse after being lectured by two girls he really wasn't in the mood to talk to, let alone be lectured by.

oOo

Pansy followed the redhead through numerous passages until Ginny eventually stopped in a deserted corridor. She did not turn around and Pansy waited patiently, a few paces behind, for the younger girl to speak.

"What do you want, Pansy?" Pansy did not start at the use of her forename; she was a Parkinson born and bred, used to taking everything in her stride.

"I saw you talking to Draco," Pansy stated neutrally. Ginny spun around at that.

"And? Not getting jealous are we?" Ginny questioned snidely and Pansy fixed her with a level gaze.

"I'm not going to fight you Ginevra, for neither him nor anything else." Ginny frowned, a flicker or confusion in her chocolate eyes.

"Why not?"

Pansy stared at her for a moment before smiling, as though at an inside joke.

"I made a promise to a brother."

"Brother? You don't have a brother," Ginny told her bluntly; Pansy merely shrugged. Ginny watched for a few minutes, contemplating the girl before her.

"What is it you wanted to say?"

Pansy didn't answer immediately. She was gazing unseeingly at a fixed point behind Ginny for so long the Gryffindor wondered if she'd even heard her.

But Pansy was a million miles away in the past.

_She was fifteen, about to go into her fifth year at Hogwarts. The three of them, her and her parents, were sat in the drawing room. Nobody spoke. The servants had left the room hours before, having been sent out by Marieme. Anatole was attempting to drown his sorrows in a bottle of firewhiskey, his wife sat at his side, murmuring comforting words in soft French. Occasionally he would answer, other times he only took another swig of his bottle._

_Pansy was sat on the armchair, gazing worriedly at her father. He had traipsed into the house earlier that afternoon and collapsed dejectedly onto the sofa, pausing on his way only to grab a bottle of whiskey. Pansy had demanded to know what had happened, assuming by the look of cold fury on Marieme's face that her mother already knew. Anatole had looked at his beloved daughter with dead eyes, before telling her what had happened in a voice devoid of all emotion. He had slipped easily into the Slytherin façade, even when surrounded by just his family._

_"Houver was killed today," He told her bluntly, naming his distant cousin. Pansy did not start, her face did not pale, and her fingers did not shake. She, like her father, slid easily behind an emotionless mask. Her eyes darkened, she subconsciously sat up a little straighter, her neck and jaw stiffened._

_"How?" Anatole did not answer. Marieme stared into the fire with hooded eyes. Without turning, she answered her daughter._

_"One of our own," She spoke softly, as though in disbelief. Pansy clenched her jaw and her eyes flashed dangerously. Anatole gritted his teeth._

_"Georgiana Delacour," he snarled. Pansy stared in shock; she had spent time with Georgiana in the past. Anatole glanced up when she did not answer immediately and laughed humourlessly at her face. _

_"Yes, it is quite a surprise, isn't it? To think we've had her in this house before… Sirius tells us the veela has joined the Order," Anatole sneered, "Taken a fancy to the eldest Weasley apparently." Marieme shook her head softly, unwilling to take in what she heard._

_"Bianca always did say... Doubted her from the start. But, well..." Her mother trailed off, leaving unsaid what they all knew. Nobody wanted to listen to Bianca. They all knew, despite the blind eye they turned, that she had killed off seven of her past husbands. Her judgement was not most valued._

_The three of them lapsed into silence until Pansy announced her retirement for the evening. Anatole halted her with a raised hand._

_"Pansy, ma chérie, there is something I want to tell you," Pansy frowned curiously and sat on the armrest of his seat. She glanced at her mother but Marieme did not speak, just shook her head almost imperceptibly. Pansy looked back at her father._

_"Oui papa?" Anatole took her hands in his, staring at them as he considered what to say to his daughter._

_"Pansy, how many people do you trust?" Pansy raised an eyebrow at the unexpected question though her father stared at her expectantly._

_"Few, father, only ever few."_

_"Who?" He pressed and Marieme laid a restraining hand on her husband's arm, murmuring words too soft for Pansy's ears. Anatole listened but something flashed in his eyes all the same. Pansy recognised it as pain and her head drew back minutely._

_"She must know" Anatole breathed so low Pansy had to strain to hear._

_"Know what?"_

_"Answer my question first, ma fille."_

_This time, Pansy did not hesitate._

_"You, mon père, and you, maman. Also Theo and Kenji," She paused for just a heartbeat, pain flickering in her eyes, but it was long enough; her beloved parents saw, "And Draco and Blaise," She finished. Marieme's eyes flashed with worry at her daughter's pain._

_"What happened?" Marieme questioned, but Pansy shook her head._

_"It is unimportant," She replied swiftly. Anatole laid a finger on Pansy's chin and lifted her head up until their eyes met._

_"To the contrary, little one, I find all that you have to say of the utmost importance." Pansy smiled despite herself and stood up, walking towards the windows. She gazed out at the darkness, noting the quarter moon which shone over the grounds. Standing with her back turned to them, she began to speak._

_"It's like having two apples and a pear," She told them, smiling slightly at her analogy, "The pear and at least one apple will be attracted to one another due to being a favourable coupling. Nothing goes together quite like apple and pear. Except apple and apple that is. The apples, though of different varieties, are essentially the same. They know all there is to know about one another. If apples could think, they would be always on the same wavelength," She paused for just a moment, "There comes a time when the pear just cannot compete anymore with the apple. And so whilst the apples have each other, the pear is left alone." She finished in a whisper, trailing off to a volume her parents could only just make out. Anatole and Marieme exchanged a swift glance before Pansy turned around. She had a soft smile on her face but her eyes were tight. "Anyway. You were saying?" Pansy prompted, again sitting in the armchair. Her parents followed their daughter's lead and did not say anything in regard to what Pansy had just told them._

_Anatole sighed, "I'm just… I'm just trying to warn you to be careful. I know to some extent you may trust your house, I'm a Slytherin myself, I remember the unity," he smiled wryly at this, before taking a deep breath. He seemed unsure as to how to tell what was on his mind._

_"Are you trying to tell me I am wrong to trust them?" Pansy interrupted. She was not angry, nor were the words clipped, but Anatole still grimaced. Marieme spoke in his place._

_"There is a reason you are all Slytherins. You were sorted into that house due to slyness, ambition, cunning, the drive for power… Slytherins never were supposed to be the best of friends, ma chérie. Everybody is out for their own gain. Give them half a chance, and they will take it all from you."_

_Pansy looked at her parents with her face blank, her eyes giving nothing away._

_"We do not doubt you Pansy. You have been best friends with the greatest wizards in an age for all your life. That is no small feat; you must possess the Slytherin skills in excess to have kept your place over the years, through all the hard times," Anatole told her, a hint of pride in his voice, "People will get jealous, though. They may try to usurp you, if you let your guard down, even just for a moment. Never trust them, except the few you mentioned."_

_Marieme smiled darkly, "You have seen today that even us who work with the Dark Lord do not dare trust one another. There will always be traitors, my darling."_

_"Always," Anatole agreed._

Ginny cleared her throat and Pansy's eyes snapped immediately to the younger girl's face. Ginny squirmed slightly under the intense gaze but kept her eyes locked with Pansy's.

"What was I going to say?" Pansy asked, confirming the Gryffindor's question. Ginny nodded. "I was going to offer you a warning."

Ginny frowned and searched Pansy's eyes for any malicious implication, finding none.

"Why?" She blurted out and Pansy raised an eyebrow at her.

The younger girl backtracked, "Excuse me, by all means, go ahead. Offer to me this… warning," she replied composedly. A smirk flitted across Pansy's face but was soon replaced by the impassive mask.

"Be careful," Pansy told her simply, "I don't think you fully appreciate quite _who_ it is you are playing with."

"You mean Draco and Blaise, I suppose?" Pansy inclined her head in confirmation. Ginny sneered. "Thanks for the warning, but I know what I'm doing."

Pansy shook her head.

"Not anymore. Things are changing, Ginevra, nobody knows what they're doing anymore." Pansy told her, her eyes dark.

"What do you mean?" Ginny questioned, puzzled. Pansy sighed and shook her head.

"I'm unsure," she confessed, "But things _are_ changing Ginevra, whether I wish them to or not."

"Why should I trust you?" Ginny demanded and a flicker of a smile appeared on Pansy's face.

"You shouldn't; I'm a Slytherin," she laughed shortly, "Not even slytherins trust slytherins."

"You trust _them_," Ginny noted quietly. They both knew who she meant.

"Yes," Pansy agreed softly. "And two others. But that is because I know them; you do not." Ginny could not argue with that, though she did shake her head.

"I don't understand," she admitted, "If you don't trust each other, how can you stand by each other? In everything," Ginny stressed, "If a Slytherin had a problem with anything or anyone within these walls- and out of it- their house would always automatically take their side, regardless of whether they were right or wrong."

Pansy smiled slightly, "That is not trust, only unity."

"Are they not one and the same?" Ginny questioned incredulously.

"Not at all. Perhaps one day, if your plight succeeds, you'll understand." Pansy sighed, "Everybody is out for their own gain, Ginevra. They would ruin you in a moment, should you ever give them a chance."

Pansy gazed into the other girl's eyes, imploring her to take in what she was saying. She had not treated any other to this warning before. Even Luna, one of Theo's many "close" friends. Pansy liked the Ravenclaw- she was quick- but she did not trust her. She didn't trust this Gryffindor either, but she was intrigued by Ginevra as she had not been by any other before. Pansy wanted to trust her, a peculiar feeling. It seemed only fair that Ginevra be on her guard before she continued.

At the sound of footsteps the girls broke eye contact. Seamus approached from behind Ginny and, after shooting her a quizzical gaze to which Ginny minutely shook her head, slipped a casual arm around her waist.

Pansy watched this exchange with sharp eyes, using Seamus' appearance as an excuse to end the conversation. Wordlessly, she turned away, though had walked a mere few steps before the Gryffindor spoke.

"Wait," Ginny called and Pansy turned slowly to face her. The red headed girl seemed unsure what to say now it came to it, but under Pansy's veiled gaze she spoke at last, "Thank you."

Pansy did not smile or acknowledge her words, only stared at her emotionlessly, her face an impenetrable mask; the Slytherin trademark. She turned away and walked off once more.

"Snakes bite Ginevra," She threw over her shoulder, "With venom." With these words, Pansy departed for the dungeons, leaving the two Gryffindors stood together in the empty corridor. Ginny shuddered involuntarily and Seamus held her close, kissing her hair.

oOo

Blaise was interrupted from his depressive thoughts by Pansy falling gracefully into the armchair opposite. Blaise kept his head down and watched her through his eyelashes, unwilling to acknowledge her presence, or accept the company of another. Pansy picked up a magazine from the table between them and flicked idly through it, content to wait out the silence. Theo had looked towards them when Pansy had approached and now openly watched the scene with idle curiosity.

After a few minutes of silence, Blaise, his jaw clenched, was pushing his patience to the limit.

"Get it over with," He spat out eventually, "And then kindly leave me to decide alone which way would be best to kill myself." Pansy rolled her eyes and threw the magazine carelessly onto the table.

"You are so melodramatic, Blaise." His eyes did not light up in mirth or his face crack a smirk. Instead he stared at her with eyes devoid of all emotion. Pansy sighed. "I've just been speaking with Draco," She began. Blaise snorted darkly.

"And why am I not surprised?" Pansy watched the dark-haired boy across from her.

"Well I could see you had no intention of doing so, and I though I may as well take pity on the Malfoy pride," Despite himself, Blaise looked up and flashed a smirk at her.

"Funnily enough, he wasn't alone." Pansy continued. Blaise took the bait.

"Oh? Who was he with?" Blaise glanced towards Theo but the boy was staring straight ahead and Blaise could not tell if he was listening or not.

"Your little friend," Pansy drawled and Blaise's eyes snapped back to her, "the red."

She watched with mirth as his eyebrows shot up.

"Ginevra?" He questioned disbelievingly.

"Mhm, the very one."

"What were they talking about?" Blaise demanded, confused as to why Draco would speak with _her_ when he couldn't even find it in himself to speak to _him_.

Pansy laughed shortly, drawing attention from others in the room, shocked as they were to find someone laughing with Blaise. "They were speaking of philosophy."

Blaise sat back in his seat, surprised. Draco had discussed philosophy, of all things, with the one who he had sworn to Kenji only two nights before he would love to run a blade through.

"I spoke to her as well," Pansy remarked idly and Blaise's eyes widened. Pansy smirked, her eyes dancing with mirth. She loved catching Blaise and Draco off guard, it was just too amusing. Blaise seemed to notice this and checked himself.

"What the hell were you thinking, talking to a Weasley?" He sneered the name, despite his recent antics and Pansy shrugged nonchalantly.

"The same thing you were thinking before you fucked her," she retorted.

Blaise smirked, "You sure about that, darling? Surely your own mind isn't quite so depraved."

Pansy rolled her eyes, "I was meaning that I was intrigued, as you were yourself."

Blaise thought back to that night in the dungeons, almost a week previous. He was pretty sure the only thing he had been curious about was whatever was underneath those robes. He smirked to himself and Pansy crossed her legs, looking down at her finger nails. She was right, though. He had been intrigued. From that moment on the train, when Astoria had invited Luna in and the redhead had stood behind her, utterly thrown by the sight of her friend surrounded by Slytherins. Theo probably hadn't helped the matter, he reasoned. She may not have run away so quick if he hadn't gotten quite so cosy with the Ravenclaw. Blaise sighed at the thought of Theo's continual flirting with the girl, among all the others. Kenji hadn't been in their carriage that day, sitting instead in the seventh year compartment. Kenji never had been interested in flirting so much as Theo, and never outside of Slytherin. He was like Pansy that way; she'd never gone for the other houses. Neither Kenji nor Pansy trusted Astoria, like him and Draco, having had too much experience with her eldest sister. Theo had always been the most trusting of them all but it helped that he hadn't been there the day that their relationships with the Greengrass family had been turned upside down. If Theo hadn't been called away to his father that weekend and seen for his own eyes instead of hearing from them what had happened, perhaps he too would be more indisposed towards Astoria and her company. Due to their mistrust of Astoria, they also distrusted her friend. Blaise himself did not mind Luna for she made him laugh and she _was_ quite sharp, but Pansy had a convenient habit of disappearing whenever the Ravenclaw turned up, something she already did when Astoria arrived or, gods forbid, Daphne.

Pansy knew if she was anywhere near Daphne when the latter said anything anti-Slytherin, she would fight the girl. Pansy had taken her desertion personally. They had shared the same dorm for the first five years of school and had bonded, as people do when forced to share the same living space. One day during their fifth year Daphne had announced she'd had enough. Enough of the games, the flirting, the half-truths and told Pansy she couldn't do it anymore. Pansy had actually pleaded with Daphne not to be so ridiculous, to stay in Slytherin because she belonged there. Daphne had even had the nerve to ask Pansy to accompany her in deserting their House. All of that could possibly have been forgiven, but then she toed the line and crossed it. Daphne had dared to suggest that Blaise and Draco were demons, sent by the Devil to taunt them. Blaise himself found this, when he though back to it, highly amusing but at the time Pansy had recoiled as though she had been slapped. Her face had gone blank, betraying no emotion and her eyes, rolling with fire, were fixed on the blonde. Blaise and Draco had felt the anger, as they felt most of their House's intense emotions should they wish it, and recognised Pansy's emotions immediately. They had run to the girl's dormitory, Kenji quick on their heels, and had entered to find Daphne cowering on the floor, Pansy standing over her. Power was swirling around Pansy's fingertips, her eyes coal black and hair whipping around her face by an unknown force and, not for the first time, Blaise wondered if it may not have been better if he and Draco had waited to teach their closest friends such strong magic. Him and Draco had seen their thoughts immediately and discovered what had happened prior to their arrival, had seen what Daphne had said. The implication of the Christian god by mention of the devil was cause enough for them. They went and stood on either side of Pansy, each sliding an arm around her waist. It did not matter that the three did not get along well of late; she had been their best friend since childhood and they protected her like a sister. Their touch calmed her down and the magic slowly seeped back into her fingertips. They murmured words to her in soft French, her native language, before she turned into Kenji's chest behind her and he closed his arms around her, holding her tight. Kenji had ushered her out of the dormitory and down to Draco and Blaise's rooms. He and Draco had then turned back to Daphne where she still cowered on the floor.

"We're not going to torture you at this moment, Daphne. You see, we are not demons, or sent from any sort of devil or God that you can think of." Draco said, his voice low.

"We are human enough to know _that_ at least," Blaise smiled icily, "You will not see Pansy again this year and if you dare seek her out, you will have us to answer to. We cannot banish you from the House, but you shall not speak to any Slytherin for the foreseeable future."

"And don't think we say that lightly. Because we don't. If we hear that you so much as talk in your sleep to another in this house, you will wish_ very_ much that we were only demons."

"Speak to your sister, if you must. We will not destroy your family ties. But we do not want to hear your voice speaking to any other in this house. Nobody will tempt you, don't worry. It will be as though you are a part of the furniture itself."

With that they had turned and walked towards the door, pausing only at the sound of her thoughts. Draco spun around slowly.

"Unjust, you say? No, I don't think so. You see, darling Daphne, w_e_ are the Slytherin princes."

"And our word is final."

And so they had swept from the room in a billowing of robes.

But it wasn't like that with Ginny, because she hadn't been introduced as the best friend of a sister of a mortal enemy. Ginny had just arrived, quite like magic. Truthfully, Blaise and Draco had never particularly noticed the youngest Weasley before. Of course they had wondered sometimes at her looks as she grew older. Their curiosity was not extreme, having been surrounded by girls of beauty since an early age, an asset of having veela relations, but it was enough to tempt them. To tempt him that night. Something about the way she had shot him a quick smile as she looked up at him through her thick eyelashes.

Blaise glanced up at Pansy at last. She was watching him.

"Yes, I see what you mean. I was intrigued by her." Pansy allowed a small smile to grace her features before something caught her eye beyond him. Her face darkened as if by shadow and Blaise turned around to see what had affected her so. As though his thoughts had summoned them, there in the doorway stood Astoria and Luna. He remained watching for just long enough to see Theo stand and saunter towards them with a smirk on his face. Blaise turned back to face Pansy who was following Theo's progress with narrowed eyes.

"Why?" she spoke at last, "Why does he go to them? I don't understand," She asked imploringly, gazing at Blaise in such a way as though he may give her all the answers. He merely shook his head.

"I don't know," he said gently, "He wasn't… he wasn't there. Stories never seem as shocking, or horrific, when retold."

"He fought with her last week," She told him bluntly. Blaise knew this, after all, he and Draco knew almost all that went on within their House. Especially when it involved them, which this dispute did. The accusations were entirely ridiculous. They knew Theo loved them and quite honestly couldn't give a shit how many girls he played around with. Well, to a certain extent. But it was not themselves that they worried would get hurt by his flirting.

"I know."

"But still he let her back... I worry for him," She said quietly, "I worry his trust will be betrayed."

"Don't we all?" Kenji asked to them both, falling elegantly into the seat beside Blaise. He laid his head on Blaise's shoulder and Blaise wrapped an arm around his waist, laying a kiss lightly on the boy's dark head. Neither he nor Pansy answered his question; after all, it was only rhetorical.

Pansy stood to leave, pausing to fix Blaise with a hard look.

"One more thing. The pair of you are going around this castle looking as though the end of the world is nigh. If you do not both get a grip of yourselves soon, the Gryffindors will think we've gone soft," Blaise grimaced at that, "You're dilapidating our reputation."

"Gods forbid," Kenji muttered so Blaise alone could hear and the raven haired boy smirked as Pansy retreated. The rest of the House, seeing that now two of Blaise's nearest and dearest had approached and one left unscathed and the other happily remained, began gradually moving around Blaise and Kenji, some even sitting opposite the pair.

After a while, Blaise nudged Kenji and the latter opened his eyes.

"You need to sleep more, Kenji love," Blaise noted affectionately. Kenji shook his head and stretched.

"I'm fine. Now, are you going to go sort this shit with Draco?"

Blaise sighed, "Only if you go over and sit with Theo," he smiled, loathe as he was to leave the boy alone. Plus he knew Kenji was always happier with Theo, as Theo was always happiest with him also. Though Kenji generally resisted going near Astoria and Luna, so Theo felt the sacrifice also.

Kenji smirked, standing up. He bent over and whispered in Blaise's ear, "Anything for you, darling," and nipped his ear lightly with his teeth. A lazy smirk licked its way across Blaise's face and he locked eyes with Kenji, a restraining hand on the boy's neck stopping him from standing upright.

"Oh, my love, you _are_ evil. Go and drive Theo crazy with lust will you? I need a clear head for Draco," Kenji chuckled darkly and spun away from Blaise, shooting him a swift smile, before approaching Theo. Blaise remained long enough to check his friend's reception from the two girls, encase something unfortunate occurred and he was needed to provide Kenji with an escape route before he did anything regrettable. Astoria, however, smiled when he approached and Luna said something witty which made all three laugh, Astoria's eyes lingering on Luna's face a tad too long. Blaise wondered at that for a moment before shaking his head; Draco was his concern at present, not sixth year's love lives. He watched as Kenji took his seat on the sofa and Theo lay across it, his head resting in the former's lap. Both were smiling.

Feeling a sudden sense of longing, Blaise stood and made for the library, Draco's favourite haunt at present.

oOo

Draco was walking aimlessly down one corridor after another. It was growing late and so he had been forced to leave the library. There was still about ten minutes to go until it closed for the night, but Draco hated being there till closing time. Madam Pince would generally hover for about half an hour, not wanting to dare to ask the youngest Malfoy to leave and so eventually, tired of her dithering, he would just get up and go. He had learnt not to stay late.

He had thought again and again all evening about what Pansy had told him, but could not come to any conclusion. He was loathe to go and approach Blaise himself, still resolutely fearful of the words of rejection which sent him into a panic each time he thought about them. Whenever he did see Blaise coming to speak to him, he generally forgot to breathe altogether and, according to Kenji's mutterings, went as white as a sheet. Though he assured him that, not to worry, nobody else would notice as he was already only a shade more coloured than one anyway. Draco had rolled his head to the side to fix Kenji with a look far from being amused. The other boy, unaware of his gaze at first, looked at him in shock before cracking a grin.

"You're still as gorgeous as ever Draco, never fear," Kenji told him amusedly but a look of worry suddenly crossed his face, "except Blaise does like them _very _pretty, does he not? I mean, with that red the other week…" Kenji trailed off biting his lip. Draco had grabbed the cushion from beside him and chucked it at his best friends head. Kenji dodged it easily, letting out a shout of laughter.

"Oh fuck off Sakuru," He called and Kenji winked at him over his shoulder before walking swiftly from the room. Gregory had then joined him and he wished he hadn't sent the other away.

Draco's walk was taking him gradually closer and closer to the dungeons and it was on the first floor landing that he saw Blaise walking towards him. Blaise had his head down and from the tension in his poise Draco guessed he was building himself up for something. Draco wondered if he wasn't looking for him. The sight of the raven-haired beauty nearly took the breath from him and succeeded in grounding his feet. He could not have moved an inch should he have wanted to. There, right in front of him, was the one whom he had scarcely allowed himself to look at over the past week.

When he was a mere couple of metres away, Blaise looked up distractedly to see who had stopped in the middle of the corridor and looked back down again quickly before freezing. Slowly, he looked back up, taking in every inch of Draco's figure, before meeting the blond's eyes.

"Draco," He breathed, so low that no one else could ever had heard.

Draco didn't say a word; he didn't trust himself to speak and found he couldn't quite remember how to anyway. Blaise took a step forward, then another, until he was inches from Draco. Internally he moaned, his body longing for the other so much it hurt. They did not break eye contact and as, slowly, Blaise closed that gap between them, Draco found himself reaching out for the raven-haired boy.

"Oh Draco," Blaise murmured as the blonde pulled him ever close until every inch of their body was touching. Slowly Draco moved his hands up and with the back of his hand brushed feather-light along Blaise's neck. Blaise gasped at his touch and his eyes fluttered closed. Draco's finger continued to trace the strong line of his jaw to the tip of his temple. With soft fingers he brushed the dark hollows beneath Blaise's eyes; a tell-tale sign that Draco had not been alone in lack of sleep. His fingers finally made it to his beautifully silken lips; lips any girl would die to have, lips only Blaise possessed. Unable to wait a moment longer, Blaise roughly grasped the blonde's silken locks and pulled him in for a kiss. Draco's hand went immediately to the back of Blaise's head, pulling him ever closer whilst his other hand wound around Blaise's waist. Blaise pushed Draco into the wall and the latter pulled him against him, deepening the kiss. Draco's lips parted slightly and Blaise's tongue darted in, exploring the blonde's mouth. His tongue slid hard across Draco's tooth causing the smallest amount of blood to flow. Draco moaned into the others' mouth and Blaise pulled back slightly to breathe. Draco nibbled his lower lip, pulling him desperately closer, feeling Blaise's hardness against his leg.

"Stop," Blaise breathed, hardly believing the words coming from his mouth, "Draco, stop." Draco's initial fear came rushing back like a ton of bricks and he felt himself pale. Blaise shook his head at Draco's fear filled eyes and caressed his cheek.

"No, I don't mean it like that, Draco. I want you. Only ever you. Always," He murmured laying a soft kiss on the boy's lips, "There was a reason I came looking for you, Dray."

"It doesn't matter," Draco protested, still dreading what could spill from those delicious lips. Blaise put one hand on the wall by Draco's head, bracing himself, whilst the other played with the blonde's hair.

"Yes, it does. I came to say sorry. I should never have fucked that goddamn Gryffindor. She was nothing to me. Nothing," He stressed, Draco smiled lightly and cocked an eyebrow.

"No she wasn't. Before all this, I knew what you thought of her, for you think the same as me, as ever my darling."

"Alright, so I was curious and if it had been any other Gryffindor I would have cursed them into oblivion for entering our House. But it wasn't, it was her… And surely you understand, if you think the same, as you say you do." Blaise looked at him expectantly, entwining his fingers with Draco's.

"Of course I understand, my love," He took a deep breath and looked at their entwined fingers, not daring to meet Blaise's gaze. "That wasn't why I haven't been talking to you," He told Blaise softly. Draco missed the frown that washed over Blaise's face.

"Then why?"

"Because I was afraid," Draco breathed, so low that someone standing just behind Blaise would have failed to hear.

"Afraid, my darling? But why?" Blaise questioned incredulously. He freed his hand from Draco's and used it to lift Draco's head. "Look at me, Dray."

Draco never had been able to refuse Blaise, and so he did look up.

"Tell me the truth," Blaise whispered.

"I was afraid because I love you. I was afraid because I knew you could never love me. I was afraid that you would reject me once you knew."

"You… love me?" Blaise asked wondrously, gazing at the blonde with rapt adoration.

"So much," Draco whispered, "Ever since that night the Dark Lord returned. That's why I would never fuck you. That's why I would never let myself close to you. I feared your rejection more than anything, Blaise."

Draco felt then, for the first time in his whole life, that he might know what it felt like to want to cry. Blaise himself was not faring much better.

"Oh Draco, my love. What fools we have been?" He smiled, kissing the blonde's nose. "Of course I love you Draco. Of course I do. How could I ever not? You have had my heart and soul for many years, dear one. I did not want to take things too fast. I did not want to scare you away from me."

Draco looked at him; hardly daring to believe what it was he was hearing. He stared in miscomprehension into Blaise's eyes.

"Take your shields down, my love," Blaise murmured. Draco did so without thinking, realising the moment he did that Blaise had his own down also. "See for yourself."

And see he did.

He saw through Blaise's eyes staring at his 10 year old self with adoration, the sly, playful smile that he shot Blaise causing the latter to feel such joy he thought he could never be happier. He saw himself walking through the Hogwarts corridors at Blaise's side and Blaise felt an impossible sense of pride at having the luck to have Draco as his best friend. He saw himself lying on a bed at his home, sick to death with Dragon pox. Blaise was at his side, careless of the fact it was contagious, staring down at his best friend's face, sick with fear, the only thought going through Blaise's mind was how best to kill himself, should Draco die.

Draco snapped himself out at this, the thought of Blaise killing himself too much for him to bear. Blaise saw immediately what he was thinking.

"Would you really do anything different?" Draco remained silent because the answer was simple and needed not be said; of course he would do the exact same. "Carry on," Blaise prompted and Draco was once more in the former's memories.

They'd just won a Quidditch match, Draco catching the winning snitch, and Blaise was gazing at him across the room. Draco looked around and, seeing Blaise watching, strolled towards him. He was grinning like it was Christmas day and as soon as he reached Blaise he pulled him in for a kiss, murmuring "we won" against his lips. Blaise felt desire pool inside him and although he agreed with Draco, as the latter walked away he felt like he was losing every time. Then he was looking at his fourth year self; the night the Dark Lord had returned. Draco's hands were everywhere and Blaise could barely form one coherent thought as Draco entered him, running a line of kisses down his bare neck. Then the scene changed again and Draco saw himself rejecting Blaise time and time again and, each time, Blaise felt a little sicker, a little more lost.

Blaise gently pushed him back out of the memories that time.

"You see? I have always loved you," Blaise smiled at Draco and Draco crashed his lips against the raven haired god's, feeling them move against his own.

"I want you, right now," He gasped in between kisses, his desire so strong he knew he would not last much longer.

"Come, my love," Blaise murmured when Draco resisted the idea of moving, "You deserve far better than a quick fuck in a corridor Draco."

Draco smirked at that and, after a last quick kiss, they moved together towards the dungeons. They did not go the main entrance, instead turning to a side corridor which went around the Slytherin common room. At a small alcove in the wall, Blaise glanced around swiftly before cutting himself swiftly with a blade from his pocket and pressed the bleeding finger into the groove. The blood seeped into the grooves and the mortar holding the granite slabs in place ran blood red before the wall the size of the doorway disappeared entirely. Draco and Blaise slipped through into the darkness, appearing immediately in their own room. The entrance was the opposite end of the common room and should open beside the fire but the two had charmed it long ago to allow them, and only them, access to their room.

As soon as the entrance was shut behind them, Draco pulled Blaise towards him, once more fastening his lips to Blaise's. Blaise undid Draco's robe with quick, nimble fingers and it fell to the floor at the same time Blaise had finished with Draco's. Draco pushed him backwards onto the bed and Blaise fell gratefully, pulling the blond with him as they tumbled into the sheets. Blaise rose himself above Draco and straddled his hips, laying kisses down his chest, stroking the soft line of hair from his navel. He caressed Draco's cock with sure, nimble fingers and, not taking his eyes from Draco's, worked it gradually until Draco was half-crazed with desire, his fingers gripping Blaise's hair. With a wicked grin at Draco, Blaise moved down between the blonde's thighs and swallowed his length.

"Fuck Blaise," Draco groaned, his nails digging into raven head's scalp. Blaise merely moaned in recognition, his tongue continuing its evil deeds. Draco's erection was throbbing and Draco gasped aloud as his orgasm hit and Blaise continued to suck and lick up all of the blonde's delicious juices until all were gone. He released his hold on Draco's length and moved up to kiss Draco, their lips crashing together.

Draco's hands slid between their bodies until he reached Blaise's throbbing erection. He stroked it with practiced ease, sending sensuous shudders down Blaise's spine as Blaise deepened the kiss, pulling Draco's head closer. Blaise's eyes flashed momentarily and leaning back, he allowed Draco to spin onto his front, the blonde's eyes hooded with lust. Straddling Draco's hips, Blaise slowly lowered himself into him, causing Draco to moan with pleasure. Blaise set a gentle rhythm to start and the initial pain soon dwindled into intense pleasure as Blaise moved faster, making Draco's own cock once more throb. Draco's hands entwined with Blaise's and they gripped each other hard, holding out for the last moment. Blaise paused for a second and Draco could feel his throbbing erection and whimpered into the pillow as Blaise exploded inside of him and Blaise shook as the orgasm ripped through him. Eventually he lay down beside the blonde god, Draco silently casting a quick spell to clean them, and they lay, side by side, on their backs. Their fingers entwined between them and their hearts beating as one.

If anyone had seen them just then, in their nakedness, there could be no doubt that these two were the most cruelly beautiful creatures to ever walk this planet. Together, they gazed up at the ceiling; seeing nothing, yet knowing everything.

oOo

Hours later, the Slytherin princes emerged from their room to find half their House still awake in the common room. They were glowing with dark energy, their hair loose and untamed, falling gracefully around their shoulders. Their eyes were molten mercury and endless violet-flecked darkness. They had never looked more majestic, or more beautiful.

Some of the House cast sly, knowing glances at each other, fully able to guess at how the pair had been spending their time together. Draco and Blaise ignored them all, and made straight to Kenji and Theo where they were still sat with Astoria and Luna.

"Oh look who it is," Theo drawled, lounging back against Kenji, "The Slytherin sex gods who are," at this point he looked to Astoria and Luna with a smirk on his face, "most definitely _not_ fuck buddies." The girls laughed aloud at that as Blaise and Draco came and took seats with them. Draco whispered something in Blaise's ear before his tongue darted out and licked his earlobe. Blaise's eyes flashed with mirth and settled a lust-filled gaze on his lover before whispering soft words back.

"Oh please, you two, get a room," Kenji drawled, rolling his eyes.

"Why ever would we do that?" Blaise questioned, an eyebrow raised, "If you have a problem, darling Kenji, feel free to leave."

"Not a problem, my princes, only jealousy as ever," Kenji gave a longing sigh and clenched at his heart, closing his eyes as though in pain. "Oh, the pains of unrequited love…" He opened one eye to see both Draco and Blaise looking at him with cynical expressions. He cracked a grin and winked at them, laughing. They both rolled their eyes as one and Kenji shuddered.

"You pair of messed up clones," he muttered and they grinned wickedly. Theo stretched and stood up.

"You know, I think this calls for a drink," He remarked, motioning to the pair on the sofa.

"Theo you think everything calls for a drink," Luna drawled, rolling her eyes. Laughing, Theo agreed. He went to stand behind the Princes, trailing his fingers feather-light across the backs of their necks.

"What shall it be, my darlings?" He questioned, bending over so that his breath tickled their sensitive skin, "Butter beer? Wine? Firewhiskey? Vodka?" He paused for a moment, shooting them both a dark smile, "La Fee Verte?"

A slow smile spread across Astoria's face and Kenji's eyes glazed over in pleasure just at the thought. It was a show but it made a good effect to his words.

"We are running low of it," Draco remarked, thinking that they would now be down to the final crate. Due to its ban in almost all European countries, it was difficult to get hold of. The muggles began having freak reactions to the stuff and the whole magical population get paranoid and make it illegal too.

"We haven't had it in _so_ long, my darling, so, so long," Theo murmured against the blonde's skin, his tongue running across Draco's neck and behind his ear as his fingers were playing with the silken locks. The blonde shuddered and, despite his recent release, felt desire pool inside him once more.

"It is to be used on the most special occasions only. Else it will drive you insane," Blaise reminded him, seeing Draco would resist no further. Kenji walked towards him and sat, straddling Blaise.

"Is this not occasion enough?" Kenji asked, lowering his head and nibbling and sucking a small line at the base of Blaise's neck. He felt Blaise get hard beneath him and smirked, "And besides, my dear prince, we are already insane," he whispered, his breath tickling Blaise's neck, making his breath come short and quivering. Theo let out a low laugh at Kenji's words and the vibrations against Draco's body made his hand grip into a fist.

"Oh fuck it," He gasped.

"Just take it," Blaise almost shouted.

Theo and Kenji's triumphant grins were identical. Kenji slowly left one last tantalising trail along Blaise's collar bone with his tongue and Theo blew lightly on the wet skin of Draco's neck before they both stood and sauntered towards the drinks cabinet, leaving the Slytherin princes quite disabled. They did not pay any attention to the jealous, desirous looks from their fellow house mates. They were well aware that they were the only two in the whole school who could seduce either one and not only succeed so easily, but escape without any word or warning from either. And sure, they probably did flaunt this hold they had over the princes more than necessary but Theo could safely say that no other Slytherin would, or could, do differently. They were nigh on impossible to resist if you did not have their threat to your life looming over you.

They returned with glasses for all six of them and a slotted spoon decorated with the Slytherin crest. The princes, after being left wanton by their so-called best friends, each gladly took a glass and downed it in one.

"Life would be easy if I could drink like you two," Kenji drawled, taking only a small mouthful at a time.

They grinned at him, feeling automatically a hundred times better. The rest of the House, seeing them drinking, soon caught on. Somebody turned on the music and the rest were only too happy to oblige. Some people who had retired to their room for the night returned at the sound of the party. The sight of the princes together put everyone in higher spirits as they all subconsciously gravitated around them. As though they were the sun and everyone else their planets.

Theo was dancing with one of the fourth year girls, Roxanna, when he spotted Pansy enter into the common room. She raised her eyebrow at the sight of her fellow housemates partying and glanced around, spotting Draco and Blaise together; dancing. Her eyes remained on them for a moment or two, it was difficult to look away from such painful beauty, but she soon turned to sit with Vincent and Kenji. The girl he was dancing with ground against him, recapturing his attention. Her eyes were filled with lust and she gazed at him with desire. Theo himself was unmoved by her. She was pretty; he'd give her that, but nothing special. He only indulged her for a few minutes before leaving in search of Pansy, who was no longer sat down.

He spotted her almost immediately mixing two drinks.

"Not poisoning someone are you, darling?" Theo smirked gesturing to the other drink to which she was adding. She laughed.

"Unless you think me capable of poisoning dear Kenji, no I am not," She smiled, gesturing to the teaspoon of dark syrupy liquid, "I'm just adding his-"

"Fir tree honey?" Theo interrupted, his eyes dancing with mirth. Kenji was a poor drinker by the time he'd had a few and could only finish one straight glass of absinthe, having to add the rich, spicy honey to his following glasses.

"I guess you would know, wouldn't you, Theo darling?" Pansy mixed the drinks and laid them down on the counter before turning to face him, "I'm assuming you didn't come over here just to discover whom I was poisoning?" She raised an eyebrow at him.

"I always want to know who you're poisoning, love, these things tend to fail when completed alone," he commented dryly and Pansy smiled slyly at him.

"My partner in crime," she mock-curtseyed at him and when she stood up, Theo approached her and snuck an arm tight around her waist.

"I came to say thank you, ma cherie," Theo said softly, knowing she felt comfortable when they used her native tongue. "I don't how you did it, but whatever you did I thank you a thousand times over, my darling, darling Pansy." She was watching him, her face positioned upwards due to his advantage in height. Caught as she was in her thoughts, she did not see the kiss coming. His lips met hers passionately in a flurry of soft skin. His lips were smoothly fluid- it was no surprise they were the talk of the House- and the things he did with them truly sinful, but she was a Slytherin; used to wicked tongues, silken lips and sharp teeth and found herself kissing him back with equal passion. It was not a kiss of love, or even lust, it was a kiss of friendship; a kiss of need. It was a kiss where one needed the others' lips in order to stay whole, when everything else inside her was slowly breaking in pain. Although she had put Draco and Blaise back together, although she had helped in every way possible for them to be happy again, although she had even helped the red to understand them, she was not content with the situation. It was simply not a happy ending. Not for her. And it never would be. Blaise and Draco were like brothers to her, and over the past week, she had come to realise that she really did love Draco like one may love a brother. And it wasn't that she wasn't happy that her two best friends were back together, because she was, but still her soul was saddened because now they had each other, as did Theo and Kenji, and she was suddenly incredibly aware of the fact that she didn't have anyone. She was the fifth wheel to her best friends. She was alone.

And it very nearly broke her heart.

So she kissed Theo as she had never kissed him before, pouring her sorrows into him, before she drowned in them. He held her close, one arm still wrapped tightly around her waist, the other at the base of his neck. She was aware suddenly of another body pressing up to her from behind. She felt Kenji's arms tighten around her, his lips kissing her neck. She pushed back into him and, before she had time to realise what was happening, there were tears running down her face and her breath caught the moment she noticed them. She had not cried since infanthood, and even then very rarely. She vaguely felt Draco and Blaise's shields snap up around them, shielding them from the sight of all others. She was silently thankful to them; she wanted no one to see her in her moment of despair.

"We will never leave you," Kenji whispered to her, Theo's lips not leaving her own, "You are ours now, you always have been, and the world must explode before you are able to leave us." He said it simply, as though the truth of it really was that simple. And she thought then that maybe it was, maybe they wouldn't leave her.

She felt almost imperceptibly the air around her waver ever so slightly; a sign that Draco and Blaise had entered through their wards. Theo bit her lip lightly before him and Kenji stood back. Not far, but just far enough so that they were no longer touching. She turned behind her to see Draco and Blaise, standing side by side, watching her. They each stepped forwards as one. They were gazing into her eyes, sensing the depths of her sorrow. Draco reached a hand out and brushed the tears from her cheeks, stepping forward until his body was flush against her side. She looked up at him. He bent his head and kissed her, Blaise wrapping an arm around her waist, his hand on Draco's neck. She noticed the warmth flowing from Draco's mouth as her lips parted and his tongue darted in and she knew that they were healing her, providing her with healing energy, to warm her soul. Blaise was sending more energy through his fingertips into Draco and his arm around her waist was as safe as it ever had been. When Draco pulled back, Blaise dipped his head and laid sweet, soft butterfly kisses along her neck.

"Kenji is right," he told her, "We will never leave you."

"You are our darling sister, Pansy. Nobody will ever take that place. Nobody can even _try_ to." Draco said, his hand stroking through her hair.

"As long as we still stand, you have us."

"All of us," Theo enforced, him and Kenji stepping forward on either side of her once more.

Maybe she wasn't quite as alone as she had feared. She had her four best friends who meant the world and more to her, and, she recalled with a smile, she had her beloved parents who had never yet failed her.

* * *

**_Author's note: La Fee Verte= The Green Fairy= Absinthe_**

**_Oh, and I finally found a way to keep breaks in stories on the website... Apologies for the lack of them in previous chapters but all the ...'s and *'s ive used previously tend to vanish... but this works, so it's all good (:_**

_Okay, so, there we have it._

_Love it, hate it, like it, dislike it, adore it, despise it, loathe it, don't really give a shit about it... which one? (:_

_As much as I love all you wonderful people who favourite/ alert this, I don't love you quitee as much as I do my reviewers so, if you could possibly spare 2 minutes in your extremely busy schedules, it would be muchh appreciated if you could review. Thanks._

_If I don't get at least five reviews for this chapter I don't know if I'll bother carrying on. Andd the quicker people review, the quicker I'll write the next chapt. Promise._


	5. Effulgent Depths

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Right, on the bright side, this chapter has come out two weeks quicker than the last. On the darker side, it still took six weeks to get here. Sorry! But to make up for it I've given you an extra long chap. (:

_Replies: **Moonlit-Midnights **You're a star, you know that right? Well, when you put it like that, of course I couldn't leave you hanging! ;] thanks so much for the review. **Anamolly2013 **i actually love you. Your review completelyy made my day. I promise I will keep writing JUST FOR YOU. Thank you so much for reviewing. **SallyHays **thank you loadss for the review, I hope you like this chapter! (: **Anne **thank you so much for he review, let me know what you think of this chapter. (:_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing except Kenji. _

_So... on with the story._

* * *

Autumn passed swiftly that year. After the initial drama at the start of the year, no hiccup could draw the Slytherins from their months of not ease, but contentment with life itself within the walls of Hogwarts. The inhabitants of the school had grown used at last to seeing Draco and Blaise walking around together, arms slung around each other's waist. Gryffindors muttered snide comments under their breath, but after the first few vocal exclamations, they learnt not to speak out. After one of the worst confrontations, Draco had refused in front of the Headmaster himself to be punished for slitting the fifth year's innards open. When questioned by Dumbledore, he maintained the steady excuse that they had insulted his other half with expressions too vulgar to repeat before his senior of _so_ many years. When asked by others he merely told them the cocky little Gryffindor had it coming. But, either way, the damage had been fixed and Draco's curse was asked for so, really, the little brat self-inflicted the damage. Blaise himself, during one of the two out of his hundred detentions he had turned up to, requested very sweetly that McGonagall explain to him just _how_ causing someone's lips to seal shut and their eyelids to fuse together could be considered inhumane. That time the victim had been a seventh year girl, quite happily drooling over Draco's body. That could have been ignored, or merely warned, but the girl ambushed Draco when he came out of the bathrooms one day after he had been partaking in certain… activities with Blaise and he had his guard down. Blaise came out just as she was pushing her vile lips onto the blonde god's. Blaise had gone ballistic and sworn that the girl would never look at Draco ever again. For good measure, he also stopped her from being able to kiss anyone ever again. The healers were still working on her in St. Mungo's, much to Blaise's sadistic pleasure.

Aside from the idiotic Gryffindors, there were also the lust-filled gazes from half the Hufflepuffs, and looks of hatred from the others. _That_ half was generally making friends with the Gryffindors. The Ravenclaws, with Daphne, watched them with fear and retreated from all the Slytherins, shunning those who did not. Luna was with their House more often than not of late.

Occasionally, Draco and Blaise would catch a look in the headmaster's eyes which was not quite worried and not quite at ease, but wary all the same. Their own head of house watched his godsons, as ever, closer than any other in his house. They were the very crown jewels of the dark side, but for the light ones they were a most foreboding enemy.

Draco was still not speaking to Severus, and Blaise only offered a swift sympathetic look when his love rejected him. They were on the same side in everything, and though Severus never- not for a moment- doubted them, he sometimes wondered if their will alone would be enough. He watched the headmaster for signs of acknowledgement, or surrender to the inevitable, but his thoughts were as cloaked as an old Gryffindor's may hope to be. Some were surprised, at first, upon learning that he could conceal his emotions as well as any average Slytherin, but Severus knew it was something he had been taught by an old friend of his; an old friend who had hoped to turn Dumbledore to the dark side. At times Severus almost found himself wishing that Grindelwald had succeeded. Either that or finished him off in the duel; it would have made the Slytherin's lives an awful lot easier.

Out of the castle walls, things were changing too swiftly in the Dark Lord's ranks for any to be sure what was happening for definite. Voldemort, growing tired of his present company and missing very much his old favourites: Lucius and Andre, was killing off muggles and light wizards in frenzies. Draco never mentioned his father's capture to any but Blaise and even then, only rarely. Theo also seldom mentioned his father's imprisonment, him and Draco disappearing behind impenetrable masks whenever the subject was unwittingly broached by another. Theo, who of course had hated Potter from the moment he was told of his existence, dropped all subjects the other was taking, and his friends took care to walk routes which the Gryffindor would most probably not take. It was not that Theo feared what the so-called "hero of the hour" could do to him, it was that he knew that he himself would never hesitate to slit the boy's throat, something unwise to do in the present climate when the light population sprinkled rose petals at his feet and the dark ones had strict orders to leave him for their Lord. Draco did not have this problem to quite the same degree for, as much as he hated the very ground that the fucked up little brat walked on, Draco had the ability to appear undeterred and unmoved by everything, to mask his feelings even to himself, tuned to an exceedingly fine degree.

Until Blaise became involved and then it was all Hell set loose.

Theo was throwing himself whole-heartedly into his long-held position of being the prince's favourite amongst the slytherins. Laughing scarcely, conversing smoothly and dancing more than any other at each party, he was, as ever, the centre of attention, holding the spotlight from all others. Of course, he was usually upstaged by Blaise and Draco but when these two wished to not be in the limelight for once, to not be the fixation of desirous gazes, Theo would take the floor. And he did so with such great ease, such confident wit, that the toll it took was never seen, nor was it realised that the real reason was to forget- or at the very least distract himself from- his father's current predicament.

His closest acquaintances all knew of course. On more than one occasion, Pansy had been tempted to purposefully knock him out so as to ensure he got some rest. Or else at least lock him in his own bedroom so that he had no other option. Blaise came up, as often as he could, with things for Theo to do; excuses to get him away from the common room, from the school community itself. Because only away from all of them, could Theo allow himself to be calm, to be himself. Draco remained by Blaise's side throughout, but he said little to Theo on the matter, for Draco could bear to think on it no more than Theo could. Sometimes, when they managed to draw Theo away from their housemates, they would sit together, the three of them, in silence. Theo's head lying in Draco's lap, the blonde's fingers running smoothly through his dark locks, his hand held in Blaise's, whose other hand caressed his love's neck. In this position, Theo would at last lose his mask. Together, they would gaze into the fire. Theo losing his fear and anger to the flickering flames, Draco and Blaise trying to figure out what it was in the tongues of fire that drew them to it so inexplicably of late. Whenever a fire was lit, their eyes would be drawn almost unwillingly to gaze into its effulgent depths. Sometimes, when lost in thought, they would resurface, aware of the increased number of gazes upon them, and they would look down and see balls of fire twirling and writhing in the palms of their hands, having been previously conjured subconsciously.

They did not understand it. And they hated the ignorance.

The three of them, Draco, Blaise and Pansy, believed the only person who could truly help their darling friend, was Kenji. But Kenji was of little help on the matter. After their initial conversation about it, which had ended with Theo screaming at Kenji that what the fuck did he know? He never had to go through the pain of not knowing what might be happening, his family, except for Isamu, were just killed outright. Kenji's eyes had clouded, and he gazed into the distance as though he was seeing something entirely different to his friend, pain flashing deep inside his emerald eyes. Theo had apologized almost immediately, and Kenji had forgiven him of course, but the Japanese boy never brought the topic up again. Theo cursed himself repeatedly for his words, knowing full well that whilst there was still no concrete proof of Ayamu's continued existence, nor was their any of his death.

As it was, when with Kenji, Theo treated the matter of his father's imprisonment as he did with everyone else. Callously, if mentioned at all. Kenji did not mind. Half the time, Pansy wondered if he even listened to anyone anymore, even Theo. His eyes were ever trained on the younger boy, but he rarely spoke, rarely partook in any activity. More often than not, he was not to be found within the castle walls at night. He spent half his nights as a wolf, the other spent lying aimlessly in the grass. Theo had stopped following him out each night, remaining instead where the presence of crowds kept him going.

Pansy followed him out though, without fail, each night. She did not have Theo's keen eyesight, but her animagus form was a lynx, and as her pupils dilated, she could see his figure well enough across the lake. She assumed he knew of her presence, but he never mentioned it, and neither did she. It worked for both of them. After all, it was hardly as though she had anywhere better to be. Theo was always with Luna and Astoria- whom she still refused to be with- and if Draco and Blaise weren't gazing obsessively into open fires, they were partaking in activities she'd rather not know about. Honestly, if ever the time arose when she needed to distract the pair, she could just conjure up a fire and they'd notice nothing else. The obsession was approaching the point where it turned into insanity.

So she stayed with Kenji, and whiled away her evenings on the damp grass, magically keeping her body warm.

It was a night colder than most, All Hallow's Eve to be exact, that she found herself sitting at the lake's edge, her bare feet dangling in the icy water. She was vaguely aware of the numbing sensation which was causing her to lose all feeling in her toes, but she couldn't bring herself to care. The sensation was relieving somehow. Being slightly wasted as she was, she guessed somewhere in her fogged mind that this was not the brightest thing to do. You always heard stories about people drowning when drunk. But then, they were muggles… She could survive underwater without air, if she truly wished to. Though it would exhaust her and she could only manage ten minutes before fainting. Draco and Blaise could do it for hours. So long that once, when they were little, one of Draco's maids had come in whilst they were timing how long the pair could last and she had freaked out, diving dumbly into the water and pulling the two boys out. They had fixed her with a look that showed a spark of surprise, but mainly just annoyance. Afraid of what this might lead to, the old maid had run out without a word. She had resigned not long thereafter. Narcissa had then given up on human staff, and used house elves instead, something she had been unwilling to do before. Lucius was indifferent, but Narcissa had always liked having human company around the house. Apparently, sometimes when the children were at school and Lucius at work, the house got quite empty and loneliness began to kick in. Apparently.

"You'll get cold."

Her shoulder's tensed at the noise, her hand automatically closing around her wand. She had failed to notice his approach. She turned her head to look at him, and his vivid green eyes watched her with an emotionless expression. He was wearing tight dragon hide pants, the deep green seeming dull when contrasted to his eyes which shone in the moonlight. His white shirt was open, revealing his toned stomach, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. The sharp wind ruffled his shirt tail, blowing cold drafts down his back.

"As will you," She told him, facing again towards the lake.

Kenji watched her for a few moments more before falling elegantly beside her. Propping himself up with his elbow, he ran a hair carelessly through his dark locks.

"Not like you to leave a party, Parkinson." Kenji drawled, his eyes slowly travelling to her face.

"Not like you to miss the chance of a shag," Pansy cast him a sly sideways smile and saw a smile attempting to lick its way across his face.

"Who says I have?" He asked, raising an arrogant eyebrow. She shook her head hastily.

"Nuh-uh, Kenji. We've gone through this," She looked at him full-on and was surprised to find his face disconcertingly close. Slowly, he pushed her gently back until she was lying on the floor, gazing into his eyes. Her hands on his shoulders which had been pushing him back wavered, sliding over his shoulder blades.

"Oh really?" His breath whispered against her skin, causing a shudder to run through her.

"Yes really," She got out; trying to cling onto the refusal she had begun.

Even with his back to the moon, she could tell he was smirking as his hands slowly ran down her arms where they tangled momentarily with her fingers. Kenji put his face as close to hers as he dared, his lips caressing her own, his hands running lightly up her waist, sensuously stroking the curve of her breasts.

"You sure about that, darling?" His lips moved down to her neck, and she longed to latch them to her own once again.

"Yes?" She stuttered out, unsure now with her breath coming short and her heart beating so fast. His deep chuckle against her throat made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. He drew back, his legs straddling her, a resigned expression on his face.

"Well, in that case…" he trailed off, gesturing to show himself leaving. She made a noise that was not quite assent, not quite refusal. He smiled smoothly, "I am a gentleman Pansy, I will not force a girl; however appealing…" He dragged his fingernail across her collarbone, hard enough to leave a mark, not hard enough to draw blood. He made to move and, with a groan, Pansy grabbed hold of his shirt and pulled him down on top of her. Bracing himself, he accepted Pansy's kiss, a lazy smirk dancing across his face.

"You are a wicked, wicked creature." Pansy's voice was muffled by Kenji's lips and his only response was a throaty laugh. She moaned into him, winding her arms around his neck and gripping his hair tightly with her fingers.

oOo

"Theo? Theo, Theo!" Somebody was shaking him by the shoulders. His head hurt like hell; there was no way he was going to be opening his eyes any time soon. "Merlin you're a mess…" The voice muttered. Somewhere in the fuzzy haze around his brain that had become his sanctuary of late, he recognised it. It was a voice he hadn't heard in a long, long time, yet one he remembered well. He was sorting through his memories and was on the verge of putting a name to it, when it happened.

His cheek stung from the sharp slap and his eyes shot open, his hands automatically clenching into fists.

Because his head was pounding and his throat hurt with every breath he took, he chose not to sit up and pin his attacker to the floor. Instead, he had to content himself with releasing a long groan. His fingers scraped along the carpet, and he was pleased to tell by the feel of it that he was in his own room. At least not the whole school were witnessing this. Carefully, he eased himself up onto his elbows. The whole room was spinning and everything was fuzzy. He tried to see who his helper was but his head swam when he tried to focus, so he allowed her to help him into an armchair.

Once sat, he screwed his eyes shut, willing the world to right itself. As he could have guessed, when he reopened them the world was still topsy-turvy. He wondered where the girl had gone to but couldn't bare to turn his head to look. His shoulder's tensed when a hand was laid on his arm and a drink pressed into his hand.

"Drink. It will help. Trust me."

He should have stopped then. He didn't know who this person was, so why the hell should he trust them? This was the sort of thing he did that set Kenji's teeth on edge and made his father's eyes close in pained resignation and suppressed annoyance. But who really gave a damn? If this was poison, then at least it would be better than this pain.

He took a few gulps and a short laugh followed.

"My, my Theo. You always were trusting, but I've just concocted a potion and you've readily drunk it without knowing who I am... Honestly, you'd have thought one of the inner circle would have more sense," She mused and Theo didn't have the energy to rise to his own defence. Instead, he finished the drink and closed his eyes until his head stopped pounding and he could breathe easily once again.

When he opened his eyes again, he was relieved to see the world had righted itself, and he was no longer in danger of falling off of his seat. The slight nausea in his gut was gone also and, in the loss of all the pain, he was wary of his visitor.

Somebody who knew him, evidently, but who?

She was not in his line of sight so he slowly stood up, turning around on the spot. At first he didn't notice her. She wore robes of emerald the exact same shade of the curtains which hung around his bed. She had her hood up, and her face down, and Theo froze, watching her. She sensed him watching and looked up, her face still hidden half in shadow.

"Do you still not remember, Theo?" She questioned, stepping out from the shadows. One eyebrow was quirked somewhat mirthfully and her lips were turned upwards in a careful smile. But it was her eyes that did it. She flicked hers up to meet his and he gasped in recognition. Molten gold. It was impossible to forget eyes which shone with that unusual shade of yellow.

She had slimmed down over the past year or so, and her hair once short and bushy was now long and curled in tight ringlets. She was still not skinny, and never would be, but the curve of her hips was now more pronounced against her trimmer waist. Her dark, heavy-set facial features contrasted remarkably with her bright eyes as her lips turned upwards in a coy smile.

It was a little over a year since he had last seen her. She never told them why she had moved, only that her parents wanted her to experience different nationalities. She never told them their real reason, for that was surely not it. She may not know, which would be understandable; they were still at the age when such things were not necessarily discussed, them not even being of age. Although they all thought this grossly unfair, as they knew far more than their parents thought they did, the same amount as them almost, they had learnt not to complain. She had moved to Beauxbatons at the end of their fourth year and they all, Pansy especially, had missed her dearly. She was the closest friend they had who did not know all their secrets. The closest friend they had who did not know their pains. Somehow, this friendship was invaluable. She kept things light, kept them distracted. Theo realised suddenly how much he had missed her.

Before he knew what he was doing, his face lit up into the first true grin he'd worn in weeks and he danced towards her, throwing his arms around her.

"Millie, my darling, it is a pleasure," He pulled away and allowed her to twirl beneath his lifted arm, "You look remarkable, love."

She laughed delicately, pulling away from him and falling gracefully onto the couch, a smile on her face. He went to the pitcher of water by his bed and poured himself a glass, releasing himself from the last muzzy symptoms of his hangover. He turned around to find her watching him, a careful expression on her face masking something he couldn't quite put a name to.

"I heard about your father," She stated bluntly. It never had been her style to mess around. His eyes iced over instinctively, a short humourless laugh bursting from him. Millicent did not blink. He recognised the expression now; worry. He looked away, pouring himself another glass, buying himself time. He glanced back at her swiftly.

"What about it?" He asked shortly. She didn't answer. He shook his head, a bitter smile on his face, "What do you _want_ me to say Mills? Do you want me to pour my heart out and tell you just how much pain I'm in? If so, don't hold your breath." He snapped.

She sighed.

"That's not what I was getting at Theo. I know you're not coping."

"What the hell do you know?" Theo ground out, his hand tightening around the glass.

"I know you're not coping," She repeated, "I also know that you're refusing to speak about it. I can guess that Kenji has not been a source of comfort of late," She paused a moment, watching him closely, "and I can also tell by the look in your eyes that you are pained by that." She told him softly. The glass smashed in Theo's clenched fist. Millicent's eyes drifted to his fist, then back to his eyes.

"Shut up Millie," He told her quietly.

"I didn't mean to offend you Theo," She spoke gently, regretting her rash words.

"You don't… you don't know how it's been around here Millie… Everyday we're thinking about who the next person will be. Who will be the centre of the next victory article in the Prophet? And we don't say anything. Because with each one, someone in this House loses someone they knew, perhaps well. So you don't say anything, you never mention it, and you move on. Perhaps it's not a conventional method, but it works." He turned away, pacing around the room.

"But Theo this is _you_… You have friends who would talk to you, who wouldn't shut away the horrors; you have Kenji!" Theo spun around, turning burning eyes on her and Millicent knew she had crossed some unforeseeable line.

"The last thing _Kenji_ wants to do is talk about dead and captured relatives," He hissed. She had no other option but to look down, keeping perfectly still, whilst his rage slipped away for the moment. Theo slammed his fist against the wardrobe, making the room shake. Clenching and unclenching his fists, he turned back to her.

"I'm sorry, Millie. I shouldn't have been so short." Millicent lifted her eyes at last.

"No, Theo, it is I who should be saying sorry. I had no right. Forgive me," Theo smirked, mirth flickering in his eyes again, but it was faked, the deadened fear still remaining.

"Of course, my darling," Theo told her, carefully keeping his voice upbeat. She looked up at him, her own eyes lightening.

"I think it's time I see the others, oui?" She smiled, standing up, and Theo opened the door for her, following her down the corridor towards the common room.

When they reached the room, they found it strangely almost empty. Theo flicked his eyes around, taking in the silence. The common room was rarely this quiet. He looked swiftly towards the large globe which included the stars, moon and sun surrounding the Earth and saw that the moon was still out, and still would be for a while. He had not realised it was still so early. The party had finished at about two, and it was now nearing five.

The room was not empty though, for Draco and Blaise leant against the wall opposite them, looking up from their conversation as the two entered. They both smiled widely at Millicent, hugging her tightly, Blaise twirling her around.

"It's been _far_ too long, love," Draco told her, kissing her cheek.

"Tell me about it," She grinned. Draco drew her almost subconsciously further into the room, ensnaring her in conversation. Blaise came over to Theo and wrapped a casual arm around the boy's waist. Turning his head into Theo's, Blaise kissed his head lightly.

"You are okay, my love? We felt your anger," Blaise murmured in a voice too low for another to hear. Theo did not answer immediately and Blaise waited patiently until Theo nodded his head once. Blaise's arm tightened around his waist, his thumb rubbing calming strokes up and down Theo's side.

"Where's Kenji?" Theo asked eventually, turning his head slightly towards Blaise.

"Around the grounds," Blaise answered immediately, without hesitation. It was where Kenji always was at night. Theo knew this, of course. He nodded again.

"Pansy? I should let her know," Theo said, trying to keep his voice alive. Blaise paused for a moment, feeling for her link in his mind. He found it with practiced ease, and knew where she was. He also felt Kenji's presence, as he was so used to the boy's link.

"By the lake," He told Theo, wondering if he should mention Kenji. But no, there was no point in making a mountain out of a molehill.

"Thank you," Theo said, turning so that he was facing Blaise. He kissed him swiftly on the lips but when he drew away Blaise pulled his head back, a sly grin on his face. He kissed Theo roughly, his tongue darting into the other's mouth and nipping his lower lip between his teeth. Theo pulled away a second time with a contented grin on his face, and this time Blaise let him go with a small wink.

Theo turned and walked away, brushing behind Draco's chair as he did so, trailing a finger along the blonde's pale neck. Draco lifted his arm and caught Theo's hand in his own. Not taking his eyes off of Millicent who was wittering away, Draco put his lips to Theo's fingers in a gentle kiss. Theo let his hand remain there for a moment more, relishing in the touch. Squeezing the blonde's hand briefly, he pulled away.

oOo

"Pansy! Pansy!" Theo called in a soft voice, knowing she would hear him, as he moved on silent feet across the grounds. Blaise had said to find her by the lake, and he was nearing the far end, where she usually resided. He could see a mound in the distance and moved swiftly towards it, the moon low and the sun still far from showing its glory.

He was ten metres at most from them when he saw at last who was there. He froze entirely, becoming a marble statue. He cursed himself for not paying proper attention, for had he of wished to, he could have seen the pair from the castle doors. After a moment of awkward silence, Kenji rolled smoothly off of Pansy and onto his feet in one elegant move whilst Pansy slowly stood up, padding on bare feet to where her shoes lay.

Theo wasn't watching her though. He was gazing at Kenji, his eyes caught in the emerald gaze, an unspoken question dancing between them.

"Yes Theo?" Pansy called, sliding her feet nonchalantly into her shoes. Theo ignored her. She drifted gracefully closer, touching her hand lightly to his. He looked down at her with a start.

"You wanted me?" She prompted. Theo remembered why he was there, and his face broke into a dazzling smile.

"We have a rather unexpected guest back at the common room," he drawled. Pansy's eyes turned immediately wary. Theo shook his head swiftly.

"Trust me darling, she is a_ truly_ welcome guest," He lifted one of her dark tendrils absent-mindedly. "She can't wait to see you."

"Who is it?" She demanded and Theo smirked, letting her hair fall.

"Now that would ruin the game. And where's the fun in that?" He drew away from her with a wicked grin and winked slyly at her. Her eyes narrowed before she turned on her heel and left obediently for the common room. Theo watched her out of sight and then, slowly, spun around to see Kenji. The older boy had moved closer during the exchange and was now a mere metre's distance away. They watched each other carefully for a long moment before, with a sigh, Kenji finally stepped forward, breaching the gap.

Their fingers entangled tightly as they stared into each other's eyes, Theo looking up to meet Kenji's.

"You are still mine?" Theo murmured softly, not letting his gaze waver. Kenji blinked once before lowering his lips the inch needed to meet Theo's.

"Always," He whispered against Theo's silken lips and Theo sighed in contentment, giving over to the kiss. Kenji poured his heart into it, making up for not having helped the boy lately. His heart pained at the thought that he could ever _not_ be Theo's.

_Always, my love. You are stuck with me for always._

Theo's hand rode up Kenji's shirt and Kenji wrapped his arm around the younger boy's waist, pulling him closer. Their tongue's danced together, their fingers digging into one another's skin. Trying, with all their might, to drown their pain in the other.

oOo

"She's not very popular these days. I hear her dorm mates don't even like her. Too weird apparently," Dean sneered to his neighbour, aware, though he pretended not to be, that Ginny was within hearing distance. Gritting her teeth, she refused to rise, focussing again on her charms homework. The voices continued and she tried ineffectually to tune them out. Seamus came into the Common Room, sauntering over to her with a carefree smile on his face. He did not notice nor hear Dean immediately. He came and stood behind her, his hands on her shoulders, bending down to kiss her on the head. Dean, who was watching, seemed to think this was the final straw. Making his voice a shade louder, he spoke, shooting her a dagger glare,

"You know, Ron even agreed she was a rotten slut the other day."

Seamus stiffened immediately, tuning into Dean's words, his hands tightening on Ginny's shoulders so the grip actually hurt. She didn't make a sound.

"Don't know why I even liked her; she's a bitch in bed, on top of everything else," He laughed coldly. Seamus turned abruptly and strode towards him. Dean looked up at him with a momentarily fearful glint in his eyes but Seamus paid no heed. Grabbing Dean's shirt collar, he hauled him to his feet so that they were nose to nose. Dean seemed to have lost the ability to speak and instead stood there, numb. Seamus sneered, pushing Dean back and turning away slightly. Dean released a momentary sigh of relief and Seamus caught his smirk in the corner of his eye.

Spinning around, he wacked Dean hard in the jaw.

There was a sickening crack and Seamus smirked as Dean fell to the ground, whimpering in pain. Bending down, Seamus pulled Dean's head close.

"You say _anything _about her again, and you'll sure as hell wish the worst that could happen is a broken jaw," He hissed in Dean's ear. Dean went limp, staring at Seamus with frightened eyes as the Irish boy stood, brushing his hands off on his trousers.

Ginny was stood behind him, watching the scene. Seamus draped an arm around her waist, steering them out of the common room. Dean whimpered something which sounded suspiciously like her name, but when she fixed her eyes on his, they were cold, dead, and terrifyingly unforgiving.

The pair walked through the corridors in silence for a while without a destination, Seamus giving her space as she mulled over what had been said.

"Do you reckon that's true?" She asked abruptly. He raised an eyebrow. "About Ron."

Seamus was silent. Because, quite truthfully, he'd say it was true. It was the sort of thing Ron liked to say about his sister. Ginny read his silent as assent and turned her head away from him. Seamus winced inwardly.

"Ginny…" He trailed off.

"Yes?" She questioned, still facing steadfastly away.

"Look at me Gin," He requested softly, coming to a stop in the middle of the corridor. Slowly she turned to face him and he bit down a curse when he saw the pain-filled flicker in her eyes.

"Everyone hates me, Seamus," She said in a low, broken voice.

"Of course they don't," He told her, knowing his words were hollow. She shook her head.

"They do. They say I'm weird. They whisper when I go past. They think I don't hear. But I do." She stopped, gazing intently into his eyes. "What's wrong with me, Seamus?" She asked desperately and, for the first time he could remember, he did not know what to say to his best friend.

He thought of the way, when she moved in the wind, her hair would billow out behind and sometimes, he would have to double check to ensure it was indeed still hair, and not flickering flames. He thought of the way, when angry, her chocolate eyes would darken dramatically becoming maroon-flecked black. He thought of the way he would sometimes catch that mad excitement in her eyes, as though she was readying for something far greater than school. He thought of the way she did not partake in conversations including Voldemort or his followers- especially his followers. He thought of the way, once, he found her crying in an alcove. When he asked what was wrong, she fixed desperate eyes on him, whispering that_ she_ had sent them to prison; she had taken their fathers. He did not understand, but he held her all the same. He thought of the way she was part of a family of Gryffindors, but she still gazed desirously after the Slytherins. He thought of the way she sometimes froze, seemingly at random moments, and turned around, finding one of, or both, Slytherin princes gazing curiously at her.

But that did not make her weird. It made her mysterious, beautiful, beguiling, vulnerable, strong, smart and graceful, but not weird. No, never weird. And so Seamus answered with the only thing which seemed vaguely logical to him.

"Nothing, my darling. There is nothing wrong with you at all."

Ginny looked up at him for a long while, a curious expression in her eyes.

"Hm… Maybe," She commented and he quirked a mirthful eyebrow.

"Not like you to adhere so swiftly, my love."

"No it's just… I king of hoped you'd say that," She shrugged, a soft smile on her face. He smiled and kissed her hair. She tugged him towards the grounds but, almost there, saw a group of Gryffindor girls from her year heading out onto the grass. She came to a sudden stop, a frown on her face.

"Maybe I should try and be more normal," She mused. Seamus rolled his eyes.

"Now why on earth would you want to do that?"

"Know thine enemy, Seamus," A mischievous glint alighted his eyes and he shook his head, grinning as she spun away from him towards the girls.

oOo

"Kenji," Theo began working out how to word what he was saying. Kenji looked up at him expectantly. He was lying on his back, Theo propped up on his elbow beside him. "Could I ask you a question?"

Kenji smiled, running his hand slowly up and down Theo's side.

"Ask away, my darling. I'm all ears," Kenji replied, wondering what he could possibly have to say that was making him so nervous. Theo didn't look at him, instead staring into the forest, his eyes determined, his lower lip caught between his teeth. "What is it?" Kenji murmured softly, his hand tightening on Theo's hip, hating the unsure, worried look in the younger boy's eyes. Theo looked down at him at last, gazing so intently into his eyes that Kenji's heart clenched.

"Do you love me?" He blurted out at last. Kenji had not expected that at all. It was a surprising question but- he smiled- not a difficult one.

"Of _course_ I love you," He said, a hint of surprise colouring his voice. "Whatever makes you think I wouldn't?" He asked, his brow creasing. Theo sighed, his eyes tight as he frowned intently at the leaf by Kenji's hip.

"That's not what I was getting at," He said roughly. Kenji cocked an eyebrow, waiting patiently for Theo to continue. Eventually, he turned again to look at Kenji. A few moments passed whilst they just stared at each other before he finally spoke.

"I mean-" He paused, again wondering if this was the most idiotic thing he could ever do.

"Yes…?" Kenji prompted, a soft smile on his face. Theo threw his head back and groaned, hating himself for not being able to ask the bloody question.

His head snapped back around and he knocked Kenji's hand from his side. Kenji's eyes widened momentarily before clenching his hand into a fist.

"I mean, are you_ in_ love with me?" Theo didn't take his eyes off of Kenji's, watching for any flicker of emotion. Kenji kept his eyes carefully neutral, not showing his shock at the unexpected question. He turned his head, staring through the trees above him at the sunlight peeking through.

He hadn't been banking on this. Anything else, maybe, but not this. The hand which Theo had discarded lay limp by his side, frozen like the rest of him. Kenji's whole mind went blank, unable to think of an adequate answer. He did not need to ask Theo the same; as much had been obvious to Kenji for months now. But he'd refused to let himself think on it, which- in hindsight- might not have been wise as then he wouldn't be in this position now. What could he say, when he just knew without looking the depths of despair that reverberated in those hazel eyes?

He had never intended to fall in love with Theo. He'd known that he loved him, almost for as long as he'd known him, as sure as anything. But actually being in love with him… Well, that was a different matter. Half of the people he'd ever truly loved had ended up dead or captured. He didn't associate the emotion with anything good.

Theo released a low growl through his clenched teeth. Apparently his patience had worn thin.

Slowly, Kenji moved his eyes to meet Theo's and, as expected, saw by the green flecks which were slowly spiralling further and further into the brown abyss, that he was indeed struggling to keep hold on sanity as his mind fell in on itself.

Theo had grown up being loved by many, and still was. His parents adored him, as did quite a few others Kenji could name. But, since his father had been arrested, he'd noticed the difference. Gone, it seemed to Theo, was his father's love and with it, he had lost his mother's also. His mother had retreated far into herself since Andre had been taken and the one person who noticed her withdrawal more than anyone was the one she could hardly bear to see; Theo. Because Theo was the spitting image of his father, though with hazel eyes instead of his father's brown.

The insecurity was taking its toll on Theo, which Kenji had to presume had prompted this question, because surely it would not have arisen otherwise. For, when it truly came down to it, the answer was obvious. It was there at the tip of his tongue immediately, desperate to be spilt.

Kenji slipped his hand under Theo's shirt collar, sliding his fingers behind Theo's neck, stroking the soft hair which grew there.

"Yes," He answered simply, for there was never really any option. From the moment he set eyes on Theo; he was a goner.

Kenji rather thought for a moment that Theo might just be about to cry but, with a blink, the glistening tears vanished readily, and Theo allowed Kenji's hand to bring his face down to meet his.

"I don't think there was really any other option was there?" Kenji smiled, quirking an eyebrow. Their noses were touching, and Theo could count the eyelashes framing Kenji's eyes.

"No, I don't suppose there was," He replied neutrally, before crashing his lips onto the boy's below his, moaning with pleasure as Kenji's tongue darted into his mouth.

oOo

Pansy woke up slowly, feeling surprisingly refreshed. She looked at the clock and found it to be mid-afternoon. Grinning lazily, she sauntered to the bathroom; taking a swift shower, she changed into clean silver-hemmed black robes. Drying her hair distractedly with her wand, she left her room and walked down the girl's corridor till she reached Millicent's room. Her old one had not been used, so she was able to use it again. She knocked softly on the door and went in, finding Millicent brushing her hair. They had spoken the night before, but only briefly, mostly due to Millicent almost falling asleep after her long night.

"Pansy," She nodded to her in the mirror, a grin on her face. Brushing her fingers through her hair, Pansy sat on the armchair, her feet curled up beneath her. Taking care to put everything away, Millicent slowly sorted her dressing table before turning to face her.

"You want to know why I didn't tell you I was coming," Millicent stated neutrally.

"Amongst other things," Pansy agreed. A smirk flitted across Millicent's face.

"I didn't tell you because I only found out myself three days ago. Plus I wanted to surprise you all."

"Draco and Blaise knew," Pansy countered.

"Well, okay, maybe not _all _of you were surprised then," Millicent frowned. They watched each other for a moment before Millicent smiled and came over to sit opposite Pansy on the floor, leaning against the coffee table. They spoke of inane subjects for a long while; neither daring to broach the subject they knew would come up eventually. In the end, it was Pansy who mentioned it.

"Why did you leave, Millie?" She asked softly. Millicent didn't answer for a long time.

"Because I had to," She stated simply. As if it really _was_ that simple.

"Why? What was so bloody important that you had to leave your best friends?" Pansy demanded, not bothering to veil the disapproval in her voice. Millicent remained silent for longer that time, until Pansy began to doubt she would answer at all.

"I can't say," She replied quietly, at last.

"Can't or won't?"

"Both. Neither. Does it matter?" Millicent asked, exasperation colouring her tone.

"We're supposed to be friends Millie. And friends don't keep secrets to themselves," Pansy's voice rose, her eyes desperate.

"Don't they?" Millicent contravened, "Funny, but that's all we really do isn't it? Hiding secrets was part of the bargain, right?"

Pansy did not answer immediately. Millie was right. That had been the main value of their friendship; Millie would never ask their secrets. They relied on that. Without it, there was no point. Millicent was one of the few they five called friend, and there was an unspoken agreement between them all that she would not ask questions. It wasn't so much that they didn't trust her- that was only a small part of the problem- they feared she would find them too… much.

So instead Pansy answered with the only thing she could: "Right."

Millicent didn't blink, didn't say a word; just stood, nodded to Pansy, and went into her bathroom. Pansy took this as a queue to leave, and walked on silent feet out the door and down the corridor, not stopping until she reached the common room, where she could see Draco. He saw her over Vincent's soldier and shot her a curious expression. She shook her head and, as Snape entered the room, went to find Blaise.

oOo

Severus walked slowly through the dungeons to get to his common room, not willing to be the one to tell Draco, yet knowing the boy would want to know. He entered and walked over to where his godson sat with Crabbe. Vincent stopped talking mid-sentence, raising an eyebrow at Severus. Draco looked over his shoulder and tensed almost imperceptibly when he saw who it was. They watched each other for a moment before Draco spoke.

"Yes?" He asked cordially.

"We need to talk, Draco."

"Well, by all means, go ahead," He drawled. Severus ground his teeth at the boy's awkwardness.

"In private," He ground out and, after fixing him with an intense look, Draco stood and walked purposefully out of the room with Severus trailing after him. They did not pause nor speak till they arrived at his private study where Draco at last, with a mocking flourish of his hand, allowed Severus to lead the way in. Draco did not take the seat offered to him, choosing to stand before Severus, who wondered whether he should stand too. Draco waited patiently, his expression bored, not helping his godfather find words in the slightest.

"It's about your father," Severus spoke at last; subtlety never had been his strong point. Draco tensed, his eyes sharpening and glinting malevolently in the dim light.

"What about him?" He growled.

"We have…" He trailed off, unsure again as to whether telling Draco this at all was a good move. Draco's eyes flashed, and he spoke swiftly.

"We have reason to believe that Lucius is being tortured."

Draco's eyes were dead, not a flicker of emotion hidden in them. Severus felt his heart beat faster despite himself; Draco was not known to be level-headed at the best of times.

"And what has prompted this… idea?" Draco questioned in a toneless voice. Severus gulped; truly wishing Narcissa could have done this. Draco was less likely to attack her. But, under the circumstances, that was inadvisable.

"Your mother received a package this morning," he spoke slowly, being careful to keep his voice steady.

"Containing?" Draco was looking at the ceiling, not even glancing at Severus.

"Lucius' index finger and thumb," He said softly, again hit by the horror of his words. Draco's eyes shot to Severus, anger broiling inside them momentarily.

"Why?" he demanded.

Severus didn't meet his godson's eyes. He couldn't.

"You. They want you." He spoke, gazing intently at the door so that he did not see the wild look in Draco's eyes. Severus' eyes turned back to him when he heard a splintering crack and saw that Draco had broken the cabinets. Severus knew better than to speak more and instead sat completely still, waiting for Draco's rage to abate. His eyes followed his godson's steps across the room. Draco tore the door open, slamming it behind him so hard that the whole office shook.

Severus did not stand to follow him and attempt to make him see reason. Instead, he remained seated at his desk, wondering what on earth had happened to the young blonde-haired boy who used to watch with rapt admiration as Severus brewed potions in his lab.

oOo

Ginny was stood out on the grounds with a group of Gryffindor girls when Draco stalked out of the front doors, knocking the old oak doors open so harshly that the whole castle seemed to reverberate with the impact. She watched as he moved swiftly across the grounds towards the lake and the forest beyond it. He was walking towards her group, unaware that she was there of course. Most probably unaware too that half the school was watching him. The girls around her whispered and giggled quietly. Ginny didn't join them.

For some reason, and she knew she never would know why she did it, she walked out in front of him, cutting him off. The girls gasped behind her, eyes wide with a hunger for drama and gossip. Draco just stared at Ginny for a moment before swerving to the right of her. She spun around to follow his progress and called out his name before she could stop herself. Needless to say, he did not turn around. Moving towards him, she caught hold of his wrist swiftly. He froze for a moment, surprised. So was she, to be honest. People aren't supposed to be able to catch Draco.

Instead of pulling away, he spun her towards him, an arm snaking tightly around her waist. She was breathing hard, her back pressed up flush against his front. Without a noise, he spun her away in a twirl of midnight robes. She kept hold of his hand, coming to a stop with their arms outstretched. Slowly, he moved towards her, not taking his mercury eyes off of her chocolate. He placed his free hand carefully on her hip, the fingers of his other tightly entwined with hers. And they spun. As he twirled her around, she felt like they were the only two in the whole world. It didn't matter that there was no music, or that everyone was watching them raptly; they were the only two that mattered.

And so she danced with him. Ginevra Weasley danced with Draco Malfoy before the walls of Hogwarts School. It was something she had not dared dream of.

And then he let go abruptly, turning away and gliding into the trees, making as little indentation on the ground as a ghost. She staggered and her knees buckled, but before she felt the impact of the cool ground, a strong pair of arms caught her. She held onto Blaise tightly as she regained her balance, her breathing laboured. She was still shaking but when she looked at Blaise she saw him throw a torn look towards the trees where Draco had fled to.

"Go," She gasped out and he looked at her intently for a moment. With a meaningful nod at Pansy behind him, he kissed Ginny's hair, moving swiftly across the grass. Pansy slid a feline arm around Ginny's waist, supporting her as they both stood, gazing into the trees.

After a few minutes, Ginny felt Pansy stiffen beside her and turned around to find the Golden Trio standing not five metres from them, wary expressions on their faces as they looked at Ginny. For a moment, they all just stared at one another, Pansy's hand itching for her wand. It was Ginny who broke the silence.

"Is everything alright?" She asked in a too-sweet voice, a smile on her face not quite reaching her eyes. She slipped an arm casually around Pansy's waist, knowing that, for some reason, Pansy would go along with her. Hermione looked slightly unnerved, her gaze swiftly swapping between Pansy and Ginny, Harry looked confused and Ron was just staring at Ginny, stony-faced.

"No," Her brother stated bluntly and Pansy's upper lip drew back into a sneer.

"Then by all means, tell us what the problem is," Ginny cocked her head to the side, a demure smile on her face. "Maybe we could… help." Ginny smirked.

"Our problem is with you, Ginny," Ron stated bluntly. Ginny's eyebrows rose and a growl started to sound in Pansy's throat. Hermione stepped forward swiftly.

"We would like to talk to you Ginny," She smiled tentatively at the younger girl who seemed an altogether different one with her arm around a Slytherin's waist.

"Go ahead," Ginny said, looking at the girl, her voice softening slightly. Hermione bit her lip nervously.

"Uhm. Could we speak to you alone?" She ventured; eyes wary. This time Pansy spoke before Ginny had a chance.

"Anything you have to say to Ginevra can be said in front of me," She snarled. Ginny did not defy this, so the trio had no other choice but to speak, or walk away defeated.

"We don't like the company you keep of late," Ron spoke, a deep frown etched between his eyebrows. Pansy raised a delicate eyebrow, refraining from tearing his heart out.

"Whatever do you mean, dear brother?" Ron should have sensed the dangerous tint in Ginny's voice, but subtleties had forever been lost on him.

"We've heard some… unfortunate rumours," Hermione stepped in once again. Ginny didn't answer, and Hermione clearly wished not to continue.

"We heard that you're whoring for the dirty snakes," Ron said tersely. Ginny froze, Pansy hissed. A knife appeared in the latter's hand and she stepped forward predatorily.

"Whoring for the dirty snakes, eh? Can you really blame her? We are rather… delectable." Came the drawl from behind them and Ginny was careful not to show her surprise at Millicent's appearance in front of the Gryffindors. It would not be good to appear as surprised as they, though in truth she was. As she walked towards the Gryffindors, she passed Pansy, running a hand down the girl's arm. It seemed an innocent gesture, but Pansy sensed the warning and forced herself to calm down, stepping back to Ginny's side once more.

"Bulstrode," Harry spoke his first words for the duration of their conversation. He had been strangely silent, and Ginny rather thought this was due to much the same rejected feeling Dean was going through. Millicent fixed him with a cold gaze.

"Potter," She nodded. "Surely you agree, yes?" Harry's mouth went dry and, as he tried to answer in the negative, he found he couldn't get any words out. Instead, he remained silent once again.

It was at this moment that Draco and Blaise emerged from the trees, appearing at the Slytherin's sides swiftly.

"Is there a problem here?" Blaise questioned in a voice like liquid ice. Draco stood beside Pansy, whilst Blaise stood on Ginny's left. Millicent inclined her head to them, taking a few smooth steps backwards. None of the three Gryffindor's answered.

"Well?" Draco demanded in a voice as smooth as velvet. Harry stepped forwards, his foolhardy bravado kicking in.

"Nothing, Malfoy," He made a pitiful attempt at a sneer. Draco's eyebrow quirked mirthfully, "We were just leaving." Blaise looked out of the corner of his eye at Draco, a smirk on his face.

"Run along then," Blaise encouraged in a patronising voice, a gleam in his eyes. The trio spun swiftly, walking unsteadily towards the castle.

The four Slytherins and Ginny remained where they were, watching their retreating backs. Pansy glanced at Ginny and released her hand from the Gryffindor's waist immediately, stepping backwards slowly to where Millicent stood, not taking her eyes off of Ginny's. Ginny didn't even seem to notice. Blaise and Draco turned to her as one and each could do no more than stare for a long moment. Crimson flames toiled in her dark brown eyes, a majestic smile licked its way across her face, tiny tongues of fire danced from the tips of her fingers; her whole body glowed with dark power.

"Princes," Pansy hissed, snapping them back to life. Each took one of her hands, holding it tightly in both of theirs. At their touch, she blinked, the crimson flames dying down to an orangey-brown. From the contact with their cool skin, the flames seeped slowly back into her fingers.

"Enough, my love," Blaise murmured, taking one hand to stroke slowly through her hair. She moaned in something resembling longing, gazing after her brother and his friends.

"Enough for now," Draco corrected, a smirk on his face. He kissed her cheek, his lips lingering there a moment longer than etiquette allowed.

When he drew back, the shadows dancing around her were dying down. As the last one seeped back into her skin, she gasped. Draco and Blaise continued to hold her as her deep breaths regained a steady rhythm.

"Power," She breathed, "So much power…" She trailed off, looking from her fingers to their faces. They glanced at one another, and she looked again after her brother. "I could have done anything to him… _Anything._ I wanted to…" She didn't finish her sentence, swallowing her own words, and they knew better than most the words which could have spilled from her lips.

When at last they released their hands and had stepped back, they became aware once more that they were indeed standing before half the school in the middle of the grounds. Pansy and Millicent were stood, tensely keeping watch, a few metres away, but the two of them did nothing to shield what had happened. Draco cussed under his breath.

Unaware of where they had come from- which was rare for Blaise- Theo and Kenji were suddenly stood on either side of him.

"Well, hm, I don't suppose any more than five sixths of the school will know by nightfall," Kenji commented dryly and Blaise made to hit him but he swerved, winking at him as he stood behind Ginny who formed an effectual barrier; Blaise wouldn't want to risk hurting her. Ginny looked at Kenji with a cynical expression and, when he eventually became aware of her gaze, he looked down at her.

"So," He drawled, "This is the infamous Virginia Weasley, yes?"

"My name's not Virginia," She told him tonelessly.

Kenji was hardly listening, looking around at the other students being conspicuously inconspicuous.

"Kenji," Theo warned his eyes on Ginny. Kenji glanced up at him, before following his gaze back to Ginny.

"Not Virginia?" He frowned, before taking hold of her hand. He bowed low before her, with a flourish of his free hand, "My apologies, Miss Weasley."

She smirked down at him, shaking her head slightly.

"You'll have to excuse him, Weasley, he's erhm," Theo looked at Kenji, not quite sure what to say.

"'Ecstatic', perhaps?" Kenji volunteered, mirth dancing in his eyes. Theo rolled his eyes.

"Slightly psychotic, is what I _think_ I was looking for actually," He threw Ginny a grin. Pansy stepped forward, pushing Kenji playfully out of the way.

"I don't believe you know our friend; Millicent Bulstrode," Ginny's eyes flicked to her, recognising her immediately.

"I remember."

Millicent smirked, a glint in her eyes.

"Millicent, this is Ginevra Weasley," Pansy continued.

Kenji's nose wrinkled.

"Ginevra?" He questioned disbelievingly, "That's your name? _Ginevra_?"

Ginny looked at him for a moment before sauntering over to where he stood, hips swaying. She ran a finger along the skin at his open collar, standing on tip toe to whisper in his ear.

"Have you got a problem with my name Sakuru?" Her breath tickled his neck and he gritted his teeth.

"Yes," he ground out. She drew back a bit, looking at him with a surprised expression. "Virginia's so much _nicer._ For instance, Queen _Virginia_ sounds so much better than Queen _Ginevra_."

She stepped back abruptly.

"Who said anything about Queens?"

Kenji threw a glance towards the princes and found them shooting him death glares. Looking back at her swiftly, he spoke.

"Oh, nobody. Why would anyone be talking about queens? We don't even _have_ royalty, darling," He spoke derisively, making it out as though she were the one to bring it up.

Theo stepped forwards and wrapped a tight arm around Kenji's waist.

"You know, I think it's time we get you back to the common room before you make even more of a fool of yourself," He rolled his eyes, "Excuse him, he's still wasted from last night. The green faerie and 36 hours without sleep... It's not a good match," Theo grinned, tugging Kenji away. Kenji said something to Theo as they left and they all heard Theo's shout of laughter as they strolled through the crowds of students, ignoring the slightly desirous or homicidal gazes.

Draco and Blaise turned back to Ginny, who was speaking more to herself than anyone else.

"Virginia," She spoke slowly, as though tasting the sound on her tongue, "I like it," She mused. Looking up and finding them watching her, she coloured slightly. Turning to Pansy because she found it easier, she spoke.

"I should go."

Pansy nodded, "Virginia." She smirked at Ginny's slight smile as she turned and walked away, leaving the two Slytherin girls behind. Draco had Blaise had mysteriously vanished.

"How long?" Millicent asked Pansy, watching the Gryffindor. Pansy followed her gaze to be sure what she spoke of.

"Since the start of term," Millicent seemed to think on this for a while.

"Why?"

"Because she intrigues us," Pansy said simply, "Because she's not one of them." Pansy inclined her head to the other Gryffindor girls.

"She's one of us," Millicent agreed and Pansy caught her gaze for a moment before nodding.

"And is it true? That she's slept with Slytherins?"

Pansy smirked.

"Just the one."

"Who?"

"Blaise."

Pansy's smirk grew wider as Millicent goggled at her.

"Who'd have thought?" Millicent asked in a shocked voice.

"Who'd have thought…" Pansy echoed.

oOo

"Draco?" Draco's head snapped up to see a second year Slytherin girl standing before him. "Your family owl came with this; it was pecking at the window. I got the letter off for you," She passed him a note which he swiftly looked over to check it was still sealed. He raised a hand that was as much a thanks as it was a dismissal. Turning the letter over in his hand, he opened it.

"_Draco,_

_Before you ask, I'm fine. Honestly, I am. Marieme's been here, as has Samara. Do not worry; I've not gone completely insane._

_But that is not why I write you. _

_Your efforts- if there even have been any- have gone unnoticed. The Dark Lord doubts your faith and reliability. He knows the other side want you. To use you or kill you. He is already performing the former, and he will not hesitate to do the latter if you cannot prove you dedication. You must make an attempt at your task. It does not matter how poor or fool-hardy it is. In fact, the more see-through, the better. That way it would certainly get back to the Dark Lord. _

_You must be seen to be trying Draco._

_For your own sake and your father's._

_My love,_

_Narcissa Malfoy_"

Draco read and re-read the letter three times before scrunching it into a ball in his fist. He stared inanely into the fire, seeing nothing, hearing nothing, as he thought on what to do. Hours passed, or it could have been only minutes. He had no way of telling. Only that, when the fire slowly began to die in the grate and he at last looked away, he knew what to do.

Standing up swiftly, he strolled from the room, walking through the dungeons to find Severus. He passed Blaise briefly, but stopped for only long enough to pass the letter from his own hand into Blaise's. He would understand.

Arriving at Severus' study, he did not even bother to knock as he walked straight in. Severus looked up in surprise.

"Draco. How may I be of help?" He frowned at the clock which read eleven-thirty at night.

"I need you to get something from Borgin and Burke's for me."

"When do you need it for?"

"Tomorrow."

Snape sighed, "Can't be done Draco."

Draco growled.

"If you go now, yes it can be."

Severus stared at him. Sensing it would be hopeless to argue when Draco was like this; he stood and went into the back room of his study. Draco followed him, telling him what he needed.

Once Draco had finished, Severus spun on his heel and vanished. Draco set about to wait in silence, sliding down the column before the fire. A half hour later, Severus returned. He handed Draco the package wordlessly, who also accepted it in silence, and slipped in his pocket. At the door, he turned half-way around.

"Thank you." Severus didn't answer.

Entering the common room once more, Draco walked to where Vincent still sat. He looked up when Draco arrived, his eyebrows rising when Draco removed the package from his pocket.

"I need your help," Draco told him; Vincent nodded and Draco passed him the package. "Get this to Rosmerta early tomorrow. Don't unwrap it, if you touch it with your bare skin…" Draco trailed off, knowing Vincent would get the message.

"I know about cursed items, Draco."

"I know you do. That's why I keep you around, Vince," He smirked.

"And Goyle?" Draco and Vincent held eye contact for a while.

"Don't tell him," Draco said simply. Vincent nodded again; they didn't trust Gregory. Or more, his father had messed up one time too many for his son to be trusted.

"I'm counting on you, Vince."

"Don't worry Draco, I'll get it done."

oOo

Ginny walked into Hogsmeade alone the next morning, wondering if her brother's would indeed be there. She worried again that they hadn't received her note. After leaving the Slytherin's, she'd gone straight to the Owlery, sending a note to Fred and George saying that she needed to speak with them. She had said she would meet them at the far end, where few ventured; she didn't want word getting back to Ron that she had met up with their brother's without him.

But she needn't have worried. When she reached the end of the village, not only was Fred and George stood there, waiting obediently, but there was nobody else around at all. After greeting each one with a kiss on the cheek, she spoke.

"I need to tell you something. Is there someplace private we could go?" Ginny asked. The twins glanced at each other, not liking the tension in their younger sister's voice. Fred grasped one of her hands, pulling her behind a wall.

"Hold tight," He warned and before she could ready herself, they had apparated into the twins' flat above the shop. George arrived a second later. They both told her to sit down whilst they prepared the tea. It wasn't until it was all laid out between them, that they started asking questions.

"What's happened, Ginny?" George asked in a soft voice. She opened her mouth to speak, but couldn't seem to find the words. Fred's eyes narrowed.

"It isn't our _darling_ younger brother, is it?" He demanded, knowing that Ginny and he never saw eye to eye.

"Partly," She replied. George growled.

"What's he done this time?"

"He called me a whore," she stated bluntly.

Fred hissed through his teeth, George's hand tightened on the arm of his chair.

"The little bastard…"

"He's kind of right," She told them slowly. Fred raised an eyebrow.

"Well, there's one we haven't heard before."

"Who d'you sleep with? Thomas?" George questioned. She shook her head quickly.

"No. That's over."

"Oh good, I never did like him."

"Neither," Ginny admitted, a small grin on her face.

"So who?" Fred asked. Ginny stared at them for a long time, wondering if they would react like Ron had to only rumours.

"We won't mind, Gin. We're on your side, sweetheart," Fred spoke softly. She took a deep breath.

"I had sex with Blaise Zabini in the dungeon corridors," She announced. Their eyes widened and then they both sat back in their seats as one, gazing at her in shock. Fred released a low whistle.

"You don't half know how to pick 'em, Gin," George shook his head disbelievingly. Fred frowned, looking up at her.

"Isn't he with Malfoy anyway?"

She coloured slightly, looking down.

"Well, yes. But he wasn't then," She clarified hastily. "It was the first night." She frowned, "Draco and Blaise sort of… fell out over it."

George's eyebrows shot up.

"You're lucky you're still alive."

"I know," She agreed softly.

"And this is why Ron called you a whore?" Fred asked, his brow creased in disapproval.

"I think he probably thinks I've done it more than once," She replied. "Which I haven't," She insisted at their hesitant glance.

"But that's not all of what I wanted to tell you," She took a deep breath as they watched her expectantly. "I think there's something wrong with me," She frowned out the window. They looked at her in shock.

"Oh?"

"I'm a Gryffindor. As you know, of course. But I don't want to be," She stopped, biting her lip. "I see the Slytherins walk past, and all I feel is a sense of _belonging_. Sometimes, I'll speak to Slytherins in my classes, I'll join in with their jokes, and it's great. But then I remember. I am not one of them. And I want to be. Oh gods I want to be so badly," She spoke in a pained voice. "That's not normal is it?" She turned on them, eyes shining with desperation.

The twins did not allow a shade of emotion to colour their midnight-blue eyes. Ginny watched their continued silence with tears glimmering in her eyes.

"You think I'm a freak," She accused hoarsely. This seemed to bring them to life.

"A freak?" George asked, stunned.

"We could never think you a freak, Ginny."

"You are our darling sister."

"We don't care if you're Gryffindor or not."

"Truthfully, we shouldn't be Gryffindors either."

"The hat wanted to put us in Slytherin."

"Apparently we're far too ambitious to settle for Gryffindor."

Fred shrugged, gesturing around himself.

"We still did alright."

"You're house doesn't define you Ginny."

"Nor must it hold you."

"If you see what we mean."

"You're saying I should ditch Gryffindor and become a Slytherin?" Ginny asked a thoughtful frown on her face.

"Why not?" George questioned dryly. She thought about it for a long moment, seeing herself in emerald hemmed robes.

"No," She sighed, "Not yet. I don't…"

"Trust them?" Fred finished.

"Something like that."

"Then wait. Wait it out. It may blow over. If it doesn't…"

"Well, we'll come to that when we get there."

oOo

A few hours later, Fred and George had apparated with her back to Hogsmeade to say their goodbyes.

"Thank you," Ginny told them honestly.

"No problem, darling. What are brothers for?" Fred asked with a grin.

"Take care Ginevra," George called as she walked away. She stopped and spun slowly back around to face him.

"Virginia," At their puzzled expressions she continued, "Not Ginevra, Virginia."

They both raised an eyebrow, nodding to her as one. She blew them a kiss over her shoulder as she walked through the village, hearing gossip of a cursed necklace. Somebody else whispered the name Draco Malfoy and she shuddered involuntarily, though the shudder was not brought on by fear.

* * *

_So, what did you think?_

_Personally, this was far from being my favourite chapter. I feel that not a lot happened, but what did happen went by too quickly... It was a sort of go-between chapter for the story, which made it more difficult to write._


	6. Possunt Quia Posse Videntur

_Another chapp. (: It's not my favourite; not much happens. But for me to be able to get on with the rest of the story, this chapter had to happen eventually so..._

_**Disclaimer:**__ I own nothing._

_**MASSIVE**__ thank you to my absolute favourite reviewer __**anamolly2013. **__I absolutely love you! As my only reviewer of the last chapter, this chappie is deidicated to _you_! I hope you enjoy. _

_Oh and a biiig thanks to those who favourited/alerted this story; means a lot._

_**Author's Note:**__ In this chapter there's a lot of mentioning of Virginia/Ginny. I tend to swap what I call her, depending on who's point of view it is. For instance, the Slytherins will call her Virginia, because it's polite, whilst the Gryffindors call her Ginny because that's what they know her as, 'cause they used to be friends. It's like how the Slytherins call Theodore Theo because they've known him forever. I don't know yet if the Slytherins with ever stop calling her Virginia, but for now they deffinitely will keep with Virginia. Hopefully that makes sense..._

"What do you _want_ me to do, Ron?" Hermione demanded tiredly, "Kidnap her and disallow her to leave her dormitory?"

Ron sighed heavily and shook his head.

"Of course not," He replied.

"Then what?" She asked, her patience wearing thin.

"I want you to… to make sure she isn't," His brow creased unhappily, "_drawn in._ I don't want her so dazzled by them that she forgets about us." At this, he motioned to the three of them.

Hermione snorted without mirth.

"You want_ me_ to stop the slytherins from dazzling her?" She questioned incredulously, "Are you out of your _mind_?"

Ron's face turned defensive and he was about to reply when Harry stepped in swiftly.

"Hermione's right, Ron. You can't stop her. If they want to dazzle her, then they will," Harry pulled a face at this.

"They're a bunch of fucking snakes! She's stronger than them!" He argued.

"Stronger than the Slytherin princes? Stronger than their closest friends? Stronger than the whole House together? Somehow, Ronald, I can't see that being possible," Hermione told him shortly.

"'Slytherin princes'," He sneered, "Arrogant bastards more like." Hermione sighed, seeing it was hopeless when he was in such a mood.

"We can't stop them, mate. _You_ can't stop them," Harry stressed.

"Well I'll be damned if I don't try," Ron snapped, walking away from the two of them and up to his dormitory.

Hermione and Harry stayed silent for a long moment, both staring at where he had left.

"They talk about her, you know, the girls in class and in her dorm. Across the castle they all talk about her," Hermione spoke in a low, hollow voice, "They call her a slut, a whore. They whisper as she walks past. But she-"

"Doesn't care," Harry finished.

"Exactly."

"Seamus and Dean aren't talking anymore. Hell, Seamus hardly speaks to anyone but Ginny these days," Harry told her, discontent flickering in his eyes.

"He's the only she truly seems to care about anymore," Hermione agreed. "Dean _was_ out of line though, with what he was saying."

"Maybe," Harry agreed, "But she did cheat on him with a Zabini."

Hermione sighed dejectedly again, something she seemed to be doing more often than not.

"Everything's changing, Hermione. I wish we could go back to how it was in the summer," Harry spoke wistfully, his eyes shining.

"We can't stop it, Harry. We can only ride the winds," She spoke softly, standing and excusing herself for the night.

oOo

Draco lay naked but for a sheet which barely covered his hips on the rug in the centre of his and Blaise's room, his eyes gazing unseeingly at the ceiling. His eyes ran over the familiar lines and colours of the depicted image. It was a mosaic created by the Roman's millennia's ago, depicting their favoured Gods, shot through with wisps of cloud, startling sun rays and deep fires of the underworld. It was undoubtedly one of the most magnificent masterpieces and nobody was entirely sure just how Draco and Blaise had come to have it in their room, but by the end of their second year, it certainly _was _there and looking like it forever had been.

Blaise entered into the bedroom, seeming to glide as he did so, his wet hair dripping down his back. He paused when he saw Draco's figure in the same position which he had been left in, unable to move for a moment as the other's beauty made his breath catch. Hungrily, his eyes trailed over the muscular torso, the palest skin seeming to glow in the twilight state of the room. He took in the sharp, aristocratic Malfoy features, lingering on his full lips, the only part of him to have retained any colour. He saw his mercury eyes glazed in thought or dream and thought to himself that this boy before him, with his silken silvery hair fanning out around him, must surely be an angel.

The fire writhing in the grate caught his gaze and he sighed, walking over to it on silent feet. He gazed down into the crimson flames which reached out towards him, as though sensing his presence. Once there, he grabbed a fistful of midnight blue salt from a pot on the mantle piece and threw it into the fire which hissed and fought against the crystals before dying down into a deep emerald green. His eyes trailed across the mantle piece until they rested upon the still unopened letter form the Dark Lord. You were not, technically, supposed to ignore a letter from the Dark Lord but then, since when had something like that ever stopped them? The letter had arrived a few days after the incident in Hogsmeade, which had surprised most everyone involved. Blaise didn't think that even Draco had thought a Gryffindor capable of such idiocy but, as they probably should have known, there was one at least capable of it. The girl hadn't died, which was thankful as that would have meant Draco appearing in a murder trial on top of everything else. Severus had been beyond pissed when the Gryffindor fucking hero had blamed Draco before the Headmaster. _That_ had taken quite a bit of smoothing over on Severus' part and, thankfully, the boy was not believed. Besides, even if he was, Dumbledore was no fool. He knew that the two sixteen year old Slytherins were far more powerful than he could dream and starting a fight with them really would not be in his best interests.

Especially seeing as their joint birthday was coming up soon in the New Year.

Apart from the Slytherins, not many people were overly aware of Draco and Blaise's coming of age the next month. Their mothers knew, of course, as did Lucius, if he was even aware of anything at all. And, naturally, Severus knew and Dumbledore. But, asides from them and the Dark Lord, everyone seemed to be keeping the memory of the Zabini and Malfoy heir's joint birthdays at the back of their minds where they most preferred them to be. Because nobody could be entirely sure about just what might happen when the heir's of the greatest, most powerful two lines in wizarding aristocracy reached their majority. To be perfectly honest, more than a fair share of the wizarding community was downright terrified about how powerful they may be, much to Draco and Blaise's arrogant pleasure. So the public pushed thoughts of the two Dark wizards far, far from their day-to-day worries, tricking themselves into thinking they were still only children.

And it was this lapse of memory that would be their downfall, for the Light and Dark alike.

Draco snapped out of his trance at last and turned his head to find Blaise. He did not move as he watched his love's finger tracing a constant circle on the marble surrounding the letter; loathe was he to actually touch the paper.

"We will open it… Just, later," Draco spoke, his voice taking on a dream-like quality. Blaise did not turn to face him, but his finger froze on its progress.

"Unless we burn it," He spoke softly, turning around. Draco's eyes travelled almost unwillingly to the dancing emerald flames

"And watch as evil turns to ash in flame's power," Draco breathed.

"Yes. We need never know what was written."

"You cannot change the future, my love…" Draco spoke softly.

"Nor can you erase the past," Blaise replied, his eyes boring into Draco's and they both saw pain flicker deep within the other's eyes at the memories. Memories of evil, memories of pain.

"I hate taking orders from him, Blaise."

"So do I. It makes my blood run cold."

"It just feels so _wrong_."

"But why? He is our senior," Blaise spoke quietly, trailing off.

"I get the feeling we are missing something painstakingly obvious."

"I hate that thought."

"As do I, but what other possible reason could there be?"

"That we are stronger than he is. If anyone should be bowing to anyone-"

"It should be _him_ bowing to _us_," Draco finished and Blaise inclined his head in agreement.

"Three weeks," Blaise sighed.

"And then there shall be no stopping us," Draco agreed, his eyes burning with the promise of power.

They gazed into each other's eyes, molten silver meeting violet-flecked darkness. Both sets of eyes flashed in desire almost in unison and Draco held out a hand to the raven-haired beauty. Blaise moved to him slowly, muscles rippling across his naked body, his eyes not leaving Draco's for a moment. His hand was captured in Draco's, his silver lover pulling him gently down. Lying on the fur rug beside him, Blaise did not move as Draco propped himself up, trailing feather-light fingers over Blaise's body, encircling his violet-flecked eyes and passing like a ghost over his silken lips. Slowly, his fingers moved downwards, lightly drawing nails down Blaise's erection, which had hardened as soon as he'd felt Draco's caress. Tightening his hold on Blaise's length, Draco smirked when Blaise released a deep moan as he continued his ministrations.

Draco's lips captured Blaise's, smothering his next deep moan. Blaise's arms wrapped themselves around Draco, raking down his back as the blond continued his wicked deeds. As Draco's lips latched onto the sensitive skin at Blaise's neck, the raven-haired boy moaned, his erection throbbing against Draco's stomach. Kissing him once more roughly on the mouth, Draco moved down, swallowing Blaise's length whole. Blaise moaned desperately, his fingers entangled in Draco's silken locks, holding so hard that any one else would have been screaming in pain. But Draco didn't; Draco just continued his work as Blaise reached his peak with a pleasure-filled scream and Draco licked and sucked until all his seed was gone. Slowly, Draco released Blaise, moving up to kiss the boy's lips again desperately. Blaise's hand slid tantalizingly down Draco's body, caressing the boy's cock with sensuous strokes which made Draco's eyes flutter shut. Blaise's strokes became harder and faster, drawing wanton moans from the blond as his cock throbbed, knowing he would not last much longer. As Blaise's teeth began nibbling a line at the base of his neck at the same time he continued touching Draco as only he could, the blond could resist no longer, gasping in pleasure as his orgasm hit and Blaise released his hold on him.

Slowly, Draco moved to lie beside Blaise, who turned onto his side, facing the blond as their fingers lazily caressed one another's bodies and their lips met in gentle, silken kisses. Draco wrapped his legs around Blaise as the latter's fingers brushed the silver locks from Draco's face, and they lay in each other's arms for what felt like hours, but which could quite easily have been days, revelling in the other's beautiful touches.

"What about the other… matter?" Blaise asked a while later, looking up at the ceiling.

Draco turned his head to the side and watched him for a moment. "What about it?"

"What are we going to do?" He asked, meeting Draco's gaze.

"I do not know. We said we would leave the first move up to her," Draco shrugged in a vision of elegance.

"I hate waiting," Blaise muttered and Draco laughed darkly.

"I know you do, love."

Blaise continued watching Draco for a long moment, seeing things only he could in the other's eyes.

"You're worried about it, aren't you?" Draco didn't answer immediately and Blaise's hand found Draco's, bringing it to his silken lips. Draco closed his eyes; in resignation, in pain, in pleasure.

"Yes," He breathed. Blaise stayed silent, waiting for him to continue. "She was there… that night, she was there. She helped send them to Azkaban…" His voice was full of such pain Blaise wanted nothing more than to protect him, but he couldn't, not from memories.

"She didn't know," Blaise told him softly; "She didn't know me, or you, as anymore than the Slytherin princes."

"She still did it," Draco closed his eyes in pain, hating that _she_ had to have been mixed up in what had happened.

"We shall ask her. When she comes, when she is ours and we hers, we shall ask her about it. There will be a reason, my love," Blaise murmured, laying a soft kiss on Draco's lips.

Draco didn't answer. Instead, he stood up and treaded on silent feet to the mantle piece. Once there he picked up the letter, slowly turning it over in his hands. Walking back to Blaise, he fell gracefully onto the rug, running his fingers over the parchment. He looked up at the other boy through thick eyelashes, coming to a unanimous decision as Draco carefully split the seal on the letter.

oOo

"Kenji, darling, what a _pleasant_ surprise to see you at so early an hour," Theo drawled, looking up at Kenji from his bed, his voice dripping in sarcasm. Kenji flashed him a grin, bending down to silence the boy with a kiss. Theo moaned into the others' mouth, one hand at the back of Kenji's neck disallowing him to pull back. Eventually though, the older boy did and Theo made a wanting, disappointed noise.

Kenji smirked, "Get up, Theo."

"I'd much rather you get down here, actually," Theo spoke idly.

"Lazy shit…" Kenji sighed good-naturedly, "How about we do a deal, darling?" Theo arched an eyebrow.

"I like deals," He agreed. Kenji bent over, his lips millimetres from Theo's, his hand sliding tauntingly down Theo's body.

"You get up now, and I _promise_ I'll make it worth your while later," Kenji spoke, his breath fluttering against Theo's skin. Theo's eyes flashed in desire.

"You will?" He questioned quite breathlessly, and Kenji drew back a miniscule amount.

"Unless, of course, you would rather someone else…" He trailed off suggestively and Theo's fingers tightened around Kenji's wrist.

"Now why I would want that?" He questioned softly and Kenji smirked, kissing the boys lips before pulling away.

Kenji walked over to Theo's closet whilst the other boy showered, rifling through his clothes. Selecting a pair of green dragon hide trousers and a black shirt, he laid them out on the bed before turning to sit in one of the armchairs by the fire. He tapped into his magic unthinkingly and found it to be a quarter past six. Fifteen minutes.

He wasn't entirely sure why Blaise had requested their presence in a quarter hour's time, just that he and Theo had to be there. He had been coming in from the grounds when he ran into Blaise coming out of his and Draco's room. Kenji had stopped by the girl's dorm to tell Pansy on his way to Theo. She had been less than pleased to see him too, but when he told her they were wanted, she rose immediately.

Theo came out of the bathroom, a towel tied around his waist whilst he dried his hair swiftly with his wand before changing into the clothes Kenji had laid out for him.

"So, are you going to tell me what this is all about?" He asked, approaching Kenji's chair from behind. Kenji stood, kissing the boy lightly on the lips.

"Draco and Blaise need to talk to us."

"About?" Theo questioned raising an eyebrow.

Kenji shrugged, "No idea. Something important by the sounds of it though."

He turned to leave and Theo grabbed one of his robes, shrugging it on as he left the room.

Kenji's eyes swept the familiar scene as they entered Draco and Blaise's quarters, throwing an inquisitive glance at Pansy when he noticed Millicent by the fireplace. She shook her head almost imperceptibly at him before her eyes returned to the armchair opposite. Kenji's gaze followed hers to see Draco sitting on the armchair, eyes blank as they gazed unseeingly into the fire, his fingers running through Blaise's hair. The latter sat at his feet, leaning against Draco's legs, a letter held loosely in his hand. Kenji's eyes shot to the mantelpiece and saw that the letter was gone. He inwardly recoiled as he looked back at the letter in Blaise's hand; no letter from the Dark Lord consisted of mere pleasantries.

"Draco? Blaise?" Theo asked, fingers trailing briefly through each of their hairs. Their eyes slowly turned to see him and the resignation to the inevitable which shone in them made Kenji's insides squirm.

"What has happened?" He asked. Their gazes turned to him as they spoke in perfect unison.

"We have been summoned."

Nobody answered them immediately. They knew by whom they had been summoned. Only one person_ could_ summon those two.

"When?" Pansy spoke into the silence, her eyes not leaving the fire.

"Our birthday," Blaise told them quietly. Pansy's eyes snapped to theirs then.

"So soon?" She demanded, fear in her eyes. Draco looked down at his hands before meeting her eyes again.

"Oui," He said softly.

"Why?" She asked. Blaise smirked without humour

"Why do you think?"

"Initiation." She spoke without thinking; already knowing that that was why, but dreading it to be so.

Kenji's head spun. _Initiation_. Initiation into the Dark Lord's ranks was not exactly a desirable event. To think that these two would be utterly under his control, would become _his_, made Kenji feel sick to his stomach. It wasn't that they didn't follow the Dark Lord from afar and agree that magical abilities should remain amongst the purebloods; it was that the man- if he could even be called that anymore- was going more than slightly crazy. In just the few months since Andre and Lucius had been absent from the scene, the Dark Lord's mind had deteriorated. Muggle and mudblood killings on mass were heard of far more often than they ever had been before. Stories of mudbloods being kidnapped and tortured in the Dark Lord's prisons had reached their ears through inside contacts; the Prophet did not know the half of what was going on. To be perfectly honest, they didn't really care all that much about the muggles. They were pathetically weak without aid and world peace was a Gryffindor aim; certainly not a Slytherin's. It was the slaying of the mudbloods which was causing a sore spot. Not because they _liked_ them, or believed in equality between the blood statuses, it was the fact that so much magical blood was being spilt needlessly; magical blood which the wizarding population could _not_ afford at present. There simply weren't enough purebloods around anymore to keep the magical blood going across nations.

At first, when the Dark Lord had returned, they all thought how great it was. They hadn't been alive during the first wave, so had no idea how power-crazed Voldemort had got. Their parents had seen it, lived it, of course. But they were already in his ranks; once you were there, you couldn't just quit. So they had stayed. Against their wills at times, but still they had stayed and played the parts of perfect Death Eaters. Which was now a slightly ironic name, for they were most certainly not eating death, more like death was eating them; eating their humanity. Some were lost already. The naive, the weak-willed, they were still grovelling at Voldemort's feet, revelling in the murder of mudbloods.

"What will you do?" Theo's voice broke through Kenji's thoughts and he turned to hear what they would say.

"At present, we are unsure."

Millicent's eyes shot to theirs.

"Unsure? How can there be any question? You will not go, of course." She spoke bluntly and Blaise turned to look at her with a raised eyebrow.

"You presume to tell us what we should do?" He questioned, a strange look that Kenji could not quite name flickering in his black eyes. A spark of fear glowed in Millicent's golden eyes as she met his, but she kept her composure otherwise.

"Not at all," She drawled, "Only what I think you should do."

"Forgive us, Millicent, if we do not take great heed of your advice," He told her, looking away.

"I only wished to point out that he would enslave you."

Blaise snorted, "Unlikely."

"He enslaved Draco's father," She snapped back, knowing immediately she had spoken too rashly when Draco's glacial eyes turned to her, colder than any snowstorm.

"My father is no slave," He hissed, looking every bit the Malfoy heir as his eyes narrowed into malevolent slits.

"Do not forget to whom you speak, Bulstrode," Blaise warned her in a voice like spun silk. "If you dare to push us, we shall not hesitate to intrude upon your privacy and discover just why you have returned."

"I have already told you-" She was cut off by Draco.

"We're talking about the real reason. You are favoured by us, Millicent. We do not want this to end in… unpleasant circumstances." She stood, frozen in his gaze for a moment before she managed to string a sentence together. Kenji shared a swift glance with Theo who was now sat beside Pansy, a hand in hers. Kenji nodded unnoticeably at him, walking to the door on silent feet.

"May I leave, princes?" Millicent asked, looking at her feet. Draco and Blaise studied her for a moment before inclining their heads.

"As you wish," They spoke in unison, their gazes following her as she crossed the room swiftly. Kenji opened the door for her when she reached it but one swift glance at his expressionless face had her looking away.

"We shall not tolerate your secrets in this House forever Millicent," Draco called after her, a warning tone in his silky voice. She hesitated in the threshold at his words, looking back at them. "Do not say we never warned you," She threw Pansy a swift, pained look before walking out. Kenji quietly closed the door behind her, turning back to the room's inhabitants. Slowly, Pansy made her way to the prince's sides. She bent down and kissed each one chastely on the lips before taking one of each of their hands.

"Come. Breakfast will be ready, my darlings."

She led them out of their room and through the common room, ignoring the curious gazes from their housemates. Theo and Kenji followed them, exchanging nothing more than a worried gaze as they left their House. Once out, Pansy let go of Draco and Blaise's hands, which sought each other's, and stepped back in line with Theo and Kenji, following the prince's. They both saw her concerned expression and Theo wrapped an arm around her waist, whispering comforting words in her ear. If Draco and Blaise noticed, they did not comment as they led the way to the Great Hall.

oOo

Ginny was up early, not that she wasn't always up early these days, or maybe she just stayed up late. She didn't even know anymore. All she did know was that every time she tried to sleep, dreams of sparkling mercurial ice and a violet-flecked black abyss would wake her with a start.

Thoughts of Draco and Blaise stalked her everywhere, be it in dream or reality. In reality, she was more often than not graced with the real thing, whilst in dream she had only wanton desires. She seemed to see them everywhere. Anywhere in the castle, the three of them seemed to gravitate towards each other; as though they direly needed one another to survive. Ginny knew more than once, on the occasions when they had communicated in some shape or form in the hallways, that should she wish, she could join them in a moment.

But she didn't. And she wasn't quite sure why that was; only that she hadn't been ready. Ready for what, she didn't know, but she needed to sort her own head out first. Seamus had easily become her only and, as ever, best friend in the castle. Seamus seemed uncaring of her friendship with the Slytherins, even going so far as to talk also with the odd few who spoke with Ginny. Mostly he only did this when with Ginny herself, but had been know to, once or twice, speak to them when he was alone, much to his House's disgust.

Ginny's other friends had begun to shun her, especially in classes when she laughed or spoke with a Slytherin. Michael and Gemma, both previously two of her closest friends, now rejected her presence. Admittedly, they had at first tried to ignore her growing acquaintanceship with the Slytherins, but in the end she guessed it got too much. Or maybe they just didn't like her that much in the first place. Either way, she no longer had them as her friends.

Which was probably another reason why she wasn't sleeping. Having no friends tended to do that. So she had taken to wondering aimlessly through the castle, mostly ending up in the kitchens where the house elves would make her a delicious hot chocolate. Today, it was at about six o'clock that she had risen and changed. She was intending to go down to the kitchens and ask for some coffee to wake her up, but soon got waylaid by Daphne Greengrass, waiting around one of the corners.

The girl had, by the looks of it, been waiting for to walk by on her way down to the Entrance Hall as she was sure to do each day. Ginny came to a sudden stop as soon as she saw her and she and the older Slytherin watched each other carefully for a moment.

"Greengrass," Ginny inclined her head politely; this was not one of the Slytherins she had spoken to. Ginny knew that something had happened between Daphne and the other Slytherins for Daphne always sat with the Ravenclaws, but she did not know what.

"Weasley," She replied.

After a moment of awkward silence, Ginny spoke again. "Was there something you… wanted?"

"No- I mean, yes. Only…" The older girl pulled a face, obviously lost for words. Ginny waited patiently and the girl seemed bolstered by Ginny's kindly face. "Don't trust them." She blurted out eventually.

Ginny thought about the last time a Slytherin had told her not to trust Slytherins lightly. It had been under not so different circumstances, only that time the warning was from someone who Ginny, for some reason or another, trusted. This time however, the warning was not from somebody she trusted.

Playing ignorant, she replied, "Who are 'them'?"

"Draco. Blaise. Pansy, Kenji, Theo, Vincent, Gregory… The list is endless. All of them; all of the Slytherins. Don't trust them," She repeated, her eyes showing that she was anxious for Ginny to understand.

"I understand that you have lost…_ loyalty_ from the Slytherins, and I thank you for your warning, but I do not think it necessary," Ginny told her, choosing her words carefully. "I feel more drawn to_ them_ than I do to my own House. Whether I trust them or not is not really the question. It is too late now, anyhow." Ginny finished, giving the girl the answer she had not told another, though many expected it.

"It's never too late," Daphne insisted, leaning towards her as though she could beg Ginny to change her mind.

"But it is," Ginny told her quietly, "I have made my decision. I choose them." She began to walk away, turning her back on the Slytherin. A vague warning rushed through her mind, about never turning your back on an enemy, especially not a Slytherin. But Ginny knew, just somehow knew that the girl wouldn't do anything, be she Slytherin or not, for Ginny had the protection of the House princes; they would not be messed with idly.

Ginny was aware of Daphne trailing her at a distance for a way, but by the time they reached the Grand Staircase and heard the Slytherin voices at the bottom, the girl mysteriously vanished, leaving Ginny to walk alone towards the smoother than silk voices which called to her.

oOo

They had just entered the Entrance Hall when somebody called something out and Draco and Blaise came to an abrupt halt. Their heads snapped to the cocksure Gryffindor fourth years before them, fire toiling in their eyes.

"What did you say?" Blaise's snarl broke through their sniggering and the two boys and one girl paled somewhat. They did not answer, one of them staggering backwards. Blaise stalked forwards slowly, not taking his eyes off of the boy at the front who had spoken. When he was less than a foot away, Blaise again spoke, making the boy evidently shake in fear. Draco's eyes remained blank as he watched his lover terrorise the boy.

"I asked you a question, _Gryffindor_," He sneered the name, drawing his upper lip back in disgust. The boy remained steadfastly silent and Blaise moved behind him, a short blade appearing in his hand seemingly from nowhere, and he held it to the boy's throat. His friends both drew out their wands warily but a flick of Draco's hand had both in his grasp where he twirled them casually in his fingers.

"I wouldn't rely on your friends to save you," Blaise smirked, digging the blade in a little more. "Now, what did you say?"

"Nothing," The boy gasped out whilst his friends looked around desperately for aid, but they were alone, early as it was for a Saturday.

"Don't lie to me, oh noble one," Blaise murmured in his ear, the blade drawing just a drop of crimson blood, causing a strangled shout of pain which undid the boy's tongue.

"I said that Malfoy was just another one of your whores," He spoke swiftly, glancing fearfully at Draco.

"And just what is that supposed to mean?" Blaise snarled, his free hand tightening on the boy's arm to make him speak again.

"You used the Weasley girl as your whore," he spoke acidly, finding venom from someplace inside of him which was not frozen in terror.

"I am no whore," The words ripped through the silence and Kenji spun on the spot, surprised to see Virginia standing at the base of the stairs, watching her fellow Gryffindors with a fire-filled glare. Draco tore his eyes from his lover to settle on her, Blaise not taking his gaze off of the boy beneath him. Not taking her eyes off of the Gryffindors, she stalked slowly towards them, her hips swaying ever so slightly. Blaise released the knife from the boy's neck as she approached and loosened his grip on his arm.

"And nor is Draco," she continued, coming to a stop mere inches from the Gryffindor. With one slender finger she stroked the side of his face before lifting his chin so that he was gazing unwilling into her chocolate orbs. "Do not follow so blindly in your brother's footsteps, Thomas. Surely you do not wish for their," At this she inclined her head at Blaise and then Draco, "or my, displeasure. For it is not a pleasant thing to encounter, as I am sure you are very much aware." Thomas' eyes were flickering with the depths of terror as he remained caught between Virginia and Blaise. Draco came up from behind Virginia, encircling her waist as he stood beside her.

"Mr Zabini! Unhand my student at _once_!" Came the screech from the opposing end of the hall. Blaise slowly stood back, the cut on Thomas' neck vanishing immediately as Blaise's fingers barely brushed the skin. "Miss Weasley, you as well, please!" Virginia allowed her finger to fall, her and Draco taking a step back as they turned to see McGonagall storming over to them. She cast Virginia a slightly confused, wary look when she saw her with an arm around the Slytherin ice prince's waist, but otherwise made no mention. Choosing to ignore the Slytherins, she turned to her own students, bar Virginia.

"Move along, no loitering in the corridors now Thomas, Cooke, Jacobs," She ushered them along, throwing one last glare over her shoulder at the Slytherin students before hurrying into the Great Hall.

oOo

Astoria had been sat in the common room when the Five- for that was what they were privately referred to as- had walked through. She had seen Millicent walk swiftly from the common room, nearly running into a third year in her haste to leave. Astoria had wondered at it, even more so when Pansy had led the prince's out, followed by Kenji and Theo who did not even glance at any but the three in front. As strange as all this was, she was not aware that something was truly wrong until she followed them on her way to breakfast not five minutes later. She must have been only a corridor away when she heard the first shout of pain.

Hurrying her steps, she turned the corner to see Blaise with his knife pressed against a Gryffindor's throat and Virginia, whose presence she guessed should not surprise her, looking very much like she was threatening him. Her confused gaze trailed over Draco's arm around her waist and she frowned anew, glancing at the three behind who were watching the scene unfold with emotionless faces. Neither one of them tried to help or hinder either side, but by their lack of help for the Gryffindors, it was evident whom they supported. Turning her attention back to the proceedings she heard McGonagall order them to stop, which they- slightly to her surprise- did. And then, shocker of all shockers, once the Gryffindors had all bar Virginia left, Blaise came and wrapped his arm around Virginia's waist also, trailing his fingers through Draco's hair as he did so. Together, they walked into the Great Hall, oblivious to the stares they were receiving from others. Astoria saw Kenji, Theo and Pansy share a long look before they three followed them into the Hall.

Snapping back to her senses as other Slytherins began filling the corridors behind her; Astoria levelled out her expression and began walking down the corridor and into the Hall, trying not to think of anything that would make her head spin even worse. But even so, she wondered at what could have possibly happened this morning, to put Draco and Blaise in such a mood so as to attack a student. It was a rare occurrence, for they usually maintained that the Gryffindors were far below their notice, and the fact that they were suddenly _above_ their notice, did not bode well.

oOo

Well nobody could say it hadn't been an eventful morning, bearing in mind it was still only half past seven. What was going on, she really wasn't entirely sure, but she knew better than to ask when Draco and Blaise were in moods such as they were now. Virginia's presence appeared to be calming them somewhat as she sat between them at the Slytherin table, much to the other Gryffindor's disgrace; the Hufflepuff's open-mouthed surprise and the Ravenclaw's unhidden shock with a tint of fear. Most every Slytherin to enter the Hall had to double-back upon seeing Virginia sat with their princes but, being Slytherins, they took it easily in their stride, slightly amazed looks being cast down the table their only acknowledgement to the peculiar circumstances. Of course though, something akin to this had been expected in their House, what with the Five- Pansy smirked at the House's nickname for them- starting a friendship with Virginia.

Luckily, or should she say luckily for _them_ as the Slytherins in question were certainly willing to start a fight, the golden trio had yet to arrive for breakfast and, if Virginia's slightly tense look towards the door every five minutes was anything to go by, she was hoping not to be here when they _did_ come. Pansy was sat between Vincent and Theo, the former of which seemed still slightly baffled by the situation, though he masked this naturally, whilst the latter was pouring a generous amount of scotch into his pumpkin juice. Kenji was sat opposite between Blaise and Mercutio, neither of whom was talking.

Pansy froze as she took a drink, her eyes carefully following Astoria over the rim of her glass as she slipped into the seat beside Theo. She threw a barely interested glance at Virginia before helping herself to toast. Looking swiftly around at her breakfast companions, Astoria looked back to her plate for a moment before looking up and striking up conversation with Mercutio, despite him being two years older than her. Kenji was soon drawn into the discussion, arguing good-naturedly over whether or not divination was a lost art. Mercutio was on his side, and when Theo joined in Astoria was quite outnumbered but she kept up her argument, laughing occasionally at something one of the boys said. Roxanna soon joined her fight and together they were able to form some equal-footing with the boys.

"She's a good Slytherin," Vincent noted from beside her and Pansy spun around, unaware that Vincent had also been watching Astoria. "Not like her sister," He continued. Pansy watched Astoria talking amiably with her fellow Slytherins before turning back to Vincent.

"I know."

"But still you hesitate to like her, trust her."

Pansy looked down at her plate.

"I can't go through having that trust thrown in my face again," she whispered. Vincent's muscular arm wrapped around her shoulders.

"It won't, darling. Trust her, for now, just trust in today," he told her, rubbing her shoulder soothingly. She nodded, accepting his advice, and rose her head. She unwittingly met Virginia's gaze and the younger girl raised an eyebrow at her, a concerned look in her eyes. Pansy merely smiled and shook her head slightly; there was no problem. Virginia watched her a moment more before her gaze got caught by something beyond Pansy. A flicker of something resembling worry shone in Virginia's eyes and Pansy turned around, concerned, finding the problem immediately.

So they had decided to come to breakfast at last.

oOo

Hermione felt her brow furrow as she walked the familiar corridors with Ron and Harry to reach the Great Hall. They were receiving a few rather strange looks from those coming in the opposite direction; away from the Hall. The Gryffindors were looking at them accusingly and distrustfully, whilst the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuff's, though they were not giving any unusual looks, were definitely just_ looking_ at the three of them more than usual. The Slytherins seemed to be smirking more than normal when they saw them, which was never a good sign, and all of this made Hermione seriously regret getting up that morning.

Thankfully, Ron had chosen to let drop- for the moment- the conversation from last night. To be perfectly honest, Hermione rather felt like Ginny was _already_ lost to them. Although she, of course, did not voice this around Ron. But, honestly, had they not _seen_ her over the past month? Ever since the… _confrontation_ on the grounds a month ago, Ginny had been _talking_ with Slytherins, actually talking. It was enough to send the whole House into a frenzy. In classes, apparently she talked to the Slytherins, shared pots with them in Herbology, compared notes with them in Charms. Sometimes Pansy would stop and talk to her in the hallways, or she would walk through the castle with Luna and Astoria. In the corridors, whenever she saw Draco and Blaise, her eyes would trail them almost helplessly and, sometimes, they would stop and say a word or two to her, lay a soft, sweet kiss on her head, tangle their fingers momentarily with hers, and move on. They never did anything more, they never asked her to join them; they were letting _her_ make the first move.

And, to be fair, she had to admire them a bit for that.

Coming back to the present, Hermione noticed Harry and Ron share an agitated glance and knew, from the tightly balled fist in Harry's pocket, that he was expecting something awful to have happened. When they finally reached the Great Hall without meeting anything unusual, she sighed; surrendering herself to whatever drama was unfolding behind those doors. Harry and Ron went in first and she followed, almost walking into them when they stopped abruptly barely two steps in. She looked around, seeing what was wrong almost straight away and barely keeping herself upright.

Hermione's eyes, naturally, first skimmed the Gryffindor table but found nothing out of place and so her gaze trailed swiftly over to the Slytherin table, ignoring the other two for they would surely not cause such a dilemma. Looking down the table carefully, Hermione almost fainted in shock when she came across Ginny sat between, of all the Slytherins in the whole wide world, Draco and Blaise.

Harry had a hand on her waist supporting her whilst her grip was tight on his arm as she gazed in shock at Ginny. Ron was shaking in anger beside them and they had barely enough time to keep up with him as he strode angrily between the tables, coming to a stop directly across the table from his sister. Hermione noticed Pansy slide elegantly along the bench, her nose wrinkled slightly in disgust, as she pressed up close to Theodore, away from where they had been standing behind her. Ginny's gaze had trailed their progress across the hall but now she looked down, wiping her mouth delicately with the napkin before placing that down too. Her hands found what Hermione presumed to be Draco and Blaise's hands below the table and, with a deep breath, Ginny looked up and met her brother's gaze with her own steady one.

"Morning, brother," She told him, her voice purposefully light. He did not reply immediately, settling for clenching and unclenching his fists repeatedly as he obviously fought not to jump across the table and punch the two Slytherins senseless.

"What are you doing?" He spoke at last, his voice icy. Her own eyes darkened slightly at his less-than-friendly greeting and Hermione grimaced internally. _This was going to go well_.

"What do you mean? I'm eating my breakfast," She spoke in a childlike voice, her eyes wide and innocent as she gestured to the food laid before them. Draco and Blaise had identical smirks on their faces as they watched Ron grit his teeth together.

"You know what I mean," He ground out eventually.

"I'm afraid I don't brother. Unless…" She cocked her head to the side incredulously, "You don't have a problem with me sitting here, do you?" Anybody could see the vindictive glimmer in Ginny's eyes as Ron gulped, looking slightly fearful with her being so dismissive of the fact that she- a _Gryffindor_- was sitting at the_ Slytherin_ table.

To cover his confusion, he turned his furious gaze to the two on either side of Ginny.

"I don't know what you're smirking at," He hissed at them, which only made them smirk more, their eyes dancing with mirth.

"Oh I think you do, Weasley," Blaise commented lightly.

"What have you done to her?" Ron demanded, his infamously short fuse nearing the end when they didn't answer. "You've poisoned her, haven't you?" He accused, turning to his baby sister who was looking at him with a shocked expression, as though she had not previously realised how dim he was. "They have, haven't they, Ginny? They've poisoned your mind! Oh gods mum and dad are going to _kill_ me…" Ron groaned, seemingly unaware that he was talking aloud, until Ginny answered him.

"Not at all, dearest brother," She told him coldly. But Ron barely glanced at her as he continued and Hermione very much wanted to disappear, given the looks on the Slytherin's faces.

"Of course you have been! You fucking bastards," Ron very nearly screamed, looking quite crazed, as he made to lunge across the table before Harry grabbed him from behind. Draco and Blaise stopped smirking then, watching Ron with mildly interested expressions, as though wondering just how stupid he could possibly be. Hermione was thinking much the same. She glanced up to the head table and saw McGonagall evidently debating over whether to break it up, whilst Snape was thoroughly amused by the situation.

"Let _go_, Harry. I am going to _kill_ them," Ron hissed and then turned his gaze back to the Slytherins. Blaise turned away from him for just a moment, running his hand through Ginny's hair so that you could almost see her shudder, whilst Draco's arm slipped around her waist as he laid a chaste kiss on her cheek. Ginny leant against them both, not taking her eyes off of Ron who seemed to take this as the last straw.

"You've fucking enticed her away! Using her as your fucking _whore_, you pair of fucked-up demons!" He roared and Draco and Blaise's faces went blank in perfect synchronisation, both stiffening noticeably.

Everybody froze, silence descended rapidly- not that it had been that noisy to begin with, what with everyone listening in on the conversation. Hermione noticed the only three to so much as move were Kenji, Pansy and Theodore, all of whom turned straight to Draco and Blaise, watching them intently, almost expectantly, as their hands tightened around their wands. Ginny glanced at both Draco and Blaise, laying a hand on their legs which seemed to calm them down. She stood up slowly, gracefully, and they stood with her, watching her now; not the Gryffindors. Ginny looked up again at Ron, her eyes blank as she surveyed his figure with a critical eye before speaking slowly.

"They have not enticed me away, brother _dearest_, for it is not possible to entice away people who are already yours. I am _not_ their whore, and nor shall I ever be." She seemed to hesitate before continuing, glancing at Draco and Blaise. They both gazed deep into her eyes, seeing who knew what. Carefully, slowly, she kissed first Blaise full on the lips, before turning her head and doing the same to Draco. As she turned to Ron, they both kissed her cheek, the faint smile on their faces disappearing almost as soon as it appeared. Ron looked like he was about to be sick, and Harry looked like he'd just been hit by a train. Hermione knew she wasn't faring much better.

Taking a deep breath, Ginny settled her gaze once more on her brother, "What I _am_, Ronald, is their girlfriend." Silence greeted this confession, except for Ron's strangled noise of protest. She shook her head swiftly before he could continue. "No, you cannot change it. Draco and Blaise _are_ my boyfriends. You have just two choices; you can accept it, or you can stay silent."

They gazed at each other for a long moment after than ultimatum; brother and sister, both wondering how the other could have gone so wrong. Eventually, Ron gave Ginny a curt nod, ignored her boyfriends completely, and stalked swiftly from the Hall, Harry trailing after him. Hermione gave Ginny a slightly pained smile, which the younger girl kind of returned, before she too hurried after Ron.

oOo

"Let's go," Draco murmured to the two beside him, watching the surrounding students- bar the Slytherins- with a cold glare, daring them to say something, though of course none did. Virginia looked quite shaken as she gazed after where her brother had stormed off to, Draco's voice seemingly the only sound to break through her thoughts. She nodded her head numbly and Draco and Blaise both wrapped an arm around her waist, leading her from the hall. Blaise nodded at Pansy and Theo who trailed casually after them, whilst Kenji and Vincent remained at the table just as Millicent arrived. Neither Draco nor Blaise greeted her, their minds centred on the one between them.

Together, the three of them walked through the corridors, ending up in the dungeons leading to the Slytherin common room. Virginia looked around as they approached the entrance, noticing for the first time the crest of Salazar Slytherin carved into the archway over the door, along with the Latin inscription; _Possunt quia posse videntur_.

"They can because they think they can," Virginia read aloud. "Very… fitting."

Draco and Blaise both smirked, arrogance etched in every feature of their face.

"Yes it is rather, isn't it?" Blaise asked and Virginia rolled her eyes.

"There are people coming," She sighed, glancing down the corridor. "Can we go somewhere quieter?" She bit her lip, eager to get away from the crowds.

"Of course, my darling," Draco smiled and tugged her down a side corridor which went around what she presumed was their House. Eventually, they came to a stop at an alcove. Draco and Blaise both released her waist and slit their palms with the same knife Blaise had used earlier. Laying their hands on the cool brick, Virginia watched in fascination as the mortar around the bricks turned blood red. The whole alcove seemed to glow with blood until the bricks vanished entirely, leaving a doorway of darkness.

"We'll key you in later, but for now keep hold of us, for otherwise you shall be forever lost in the brick walls," A malevolent glint shone in Blaise's eyes and Virginia was unsure of whether or not he was being serious. Choosing not to ask, she nodded her head in understanding. Draco and Blaise each grasped one of her hands, tugging her into the abyss and she stepped eagerly through, appearing a second later in what she could only assume was their room.

Slightly shocked, Virginia just stared around for the moment, oblivious to the nervous look Draco and Blaise shared. Looking behind her at the bare wall which bore no sign of their previous entrance, she could do nothing but gaze in wonder at the room. Everything was just so _rich_. And not in the gold and red way she was used to.

No, _this _was something else. The richness of the emerald velvet curtains which hung around the enormous bed, adorned with a blacker than night bedspread, silver vines twining their way across it. The rugs spread out through the room she could tell even through her shoes were as soft as feathers, covering the cold stone flagon floor. Armchairs and sofas with emerald seats and silver cushions were laid out near the fireplace. The back wall was lined with bookcases; half were the old leather-bound books which just seemed too precious to even look at, modernised spell books taking over the second half of the bookshelves. Tearing her eyes away from the volumes, they landed on the black marble mantle piece majestically framing the fireplace, inside which was an emerald fire, dying down from not being tended in a while. Slowly, she walked towards it, her shoes not making a noise on the rugs. Bending down to the fire, she let her fingers rest carefully on the grate, mindless of the heat, knowing that she would not be burnt. Flames licked her fingers, or came from her fingers; she was not sure. All she knew was that the fire was coming back to life, alternating between glorious orange, and enchanting green.

Gracefully, she stood back up, looking for her boyfriends, who had not moved since first they entered. Virginia was slightly surprised when she found them looking nervous. Blaise ran a purposefully care-free hand through his hair whilst Draco licked his lips, looking at her anxiously.

"It's…" She was lost for words; she didn't know where to even begin to describe the magnificence of this room.

"It's probably too dark-"

"We normally have more candles than this-"

"We mean, compared to what you're used to, it must seem very strange-"

"And probably not at all what you were expecting."

"But we can change it, though, if you like."

"We haven't redecorated in ages."

"And we can-"

Virginia watched the words spilling from their mouths in shock and she moved swiftly towards them, laying a hand on each of their mouths, effectively quietening them.

"Hush. You worry over nothing," She gave them a small smile, her eyes light; "I do not wish to change a thing. I think it's beautiful; I think _you're_ beautiful," she murmured taking her hands away and laying soft kisses on their lips.

"You really don't hate it?" Draco questioned, him and Blaise looking at her with something akin to adoration.

"_Really_," Virginia stressed, stepping closer to him and locking her lips onto his, enticing them into moving. Her one hand wrapped in his silken blond locks whilst her other reached out for Blaise, pulling him closer. He pressed his body tight behind her, his hands on her hips as he left a trail of butterfly kisses on her neck, Draco rendering her helpless as his lips manipulated her mouth in such a way she wanted to scream in pleasure.

She would have fallen to floor, her knees long having given out, were it not for Draco and Blaise keeping her standing on either side of her. She allowed herself to breathe as both Draco and Blaise's lips left hers, finding each others over her shoulder. Their hands continued their work on her body, Blaise's hand squeezing her breast whilst Draco undid her robe with practiced ease. As it fell to the floor between them, they lifted Virginia onto the bed, falling gracefully beside her. With shaking fingers she undid Blaise's robe, Draco taking his own off at the same time. Blaise slowly, inch by inch, unpeeled her leather trousers as Draco lifted her top over her head, his hands sensuously stroking the curve of her breasts as he undid her bra.

As Draco sucked and nibbled her nipples, Blaise was stroking the insides of her thighs with soft, wicked fingers, trailing the line of her wet knickers. Pushing her legs apart slightly, he blew on her, the sensation causing a strangled scream to be ripped from her as she begged for release, and Blaise tore the lace from her swiftly. Draco captured her mouth expertly, effectively cutting off any other noises she may make as Blaise pulled Draco's trousers and boxers off, followed swiftly by his own. Draco moved, her lips still attached to hers, and pulled himself on top of her. Gradually, Virginia slipped her hand between their bodies, stroking Draco's throbbing length with sure, sensuous touches. Blaise's hands were on her breasts, manipulating her nipples constantly as he too longed for release. Carefully, Draco lifted himself up, entering her in one hard thrust and making her scream from the pleasurable pain. Setting a gradual rhythm to start, she was soon moaning wantonly and thrusting her hips up to meet each of his thrusts. When he could wait no longer, Blaise slipped beneath her, entering her from behind in one desperate thrust. Virginia's voice was ripped from her in scream after scream as the two thrust into her, leaving her helpless between them. Draco's hands went over her to Blaise, tangling in his dark locks as the three of them reached their peak, screaming in crazed desire as they rode their orgasms out, relishing in the pain and pleasure the act had given them.

Draco could do no more than roll off of her as Blaise too extracted himself, allowing her to lie between them on the bed, her deep red hair fanning out around her, mixing with Draco's silver on one side, and Blaise's black on the other. Each was too exhausted to do anything but lie there, giving each other lazy kisses as the hours passed in the most peace they had known in far too long. It did not matter that they hardly knew each other, for they felt as they lay there that nobody made them feel complete like the other two did. It did not matter what differences in family lay between them; after this, they could overcome all of that. All that mattered was the here, now, and them.

Slowly, Virginia felt herself drifting off at last, safe in their arms.

But it wasn't to last, for the door was soon being hammered on.

"Draco, Blaise! Are you in there?" Severus' voice came through to them in their hazed state, "You must come; it is about Draco's father, he is in danger!" He called through and Draco's lips on her skin froze at the same time Blaise's fingers stopped their tantalizing trail.

_No_, she thought, _not now_.

_Et voila!_

_What do you think? _

_PLEASE review! As much as I appreciate people who favourite this, if you could review that would be great. I tend to write more when I get reviews, 'cause they let me know that someone actually cares what I'm writing... _


	7. Follow Me Into The Darkness

Wow, I am SO sorry that this chapter is _so_ shamefully overdue! 7 months, that went ridiculously quick. So sorry for the lack of updates, hopefully they'll be coming WAY more often for now on, seeing as I'm almost at the end of this dreadful school year. Sadly, life's been catching up with me and I've had literally no time to write.

Thank you's: **Moonlit-Midnights**, thanks so much for _both_ your reviews! Your questions will soon be answered, but not necessarily in this chap, sorry! (: **rocbabe**: Thank you! Hope you haven't forgotten this story after the ridiculously long wait! you changed your name! That threw me ahaa (: but thank you veryveryvery much for your extraa long review! And i'm pleased you love Kenji/Theo, I love them too :') **angel-crying-blood** Thankyou! **Simi Nightmares** Thank you, and sorry for making you wait so long! And I'm glad you like the snakes too! **Mary** Sorry it wasn't exactly "soon", but thanks for the review! **Servant of Time** Thankyou! I'm not sure how long Virginia will last, I might go back to just Ginny in the end (: **ManiacOfSorts** Thanks so much, well here's the next chapter, what's that you were saying about an extra longg review..? ;) **lilgurlgreen** Thanks! Sorry the update was so late **hamsterdowns** thank you so much! I know what you mean about the language, I just like to think of the Slytherins like that, not sure why! **shelly1224** thank you! And thanks for prompting me to actually write the next chapter!

And a BIGBIG thank you to all those who favourited/alerted this story!

And now, on with the story...

* * *

Draco and Blaise had changed into matching emerald robes before Virginia could so much as blink and had both turned as one to the door when they spun around suddenly, seeming to remember her. They watched her with torn, worried expressions as she lifted herself off of the bed, shaking her head to clear its muzzy, sex-high state. They watched in silence as she swiftly changed back into her own purple robes, slipping on her black knee high boots. When she was finished, she turned at last to face them.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" She questioned, meeting their gaze steadily.

Draco and Blaise shared a swift look before walking towards her. Draco caught hold of her hand, Blaise's arm slipping around her waist.

"_You_ are staying here," Draco informed her, his tone clipped.

"Oh am I now?"

"_Yes_," Blaise enforced, frowning down at her as his hold tightened on her waist.

"And you think I'll just sit around nicely on your big green sofas, drinking tea and idly passing the time embroidering a cushion?" Her voice was dripping with sarcasm and the look she fixed them with was so condescending they couldn't help but smirk.

"Darling, of course not. You would stay with Pansy and Kenji," Draco drawled, one hand tangling in her red hair.

"Theo will most probably be accompanying us if it involves their fathers," Blaise told her smoothly, cupping her cheek in the palm of his hand.

"Theodore isn't allowed. It's not his place," The three of them turned in surprise, finding Severus in the doorway, his eyes tight and blank as he surveyed the trio.

"What do you mean?" Draco demanded, "Where are we going?"

"The ministry. _You_ are under orders to be there Draco, and the fact that he's," Severus jerked his head in Blaise's direction, "going with you will be cause enough for them to up the security ten-fold. You really _don't_ need another Death Eater's son accompanying you."

Draco did not look as though he had heard Severus' last words, his eyes eerily devoid of emotion as his hand fell lifelessly from Virginia's hair.

"Why? What has happened?" He questioned, his voice toneless. Virginia glanced up at him and felt a spark of fear inside her as she beheld his cold exterior. Blaise's arm slipped around Draco's waist, his thumb rubbing soothing strokes along his side.

"They want information and Lucius is proving immune to torture."

Draco snorted without mirth.

"They think I'll give them anything?" He raised a sardonic eyebrow at Severus who paused, choosing his words carefully.

"Yes. Given the ultimatum, they most definitely think you will." Severus' gaze did not waver as he bore into his godson's eyes knowing, by the flicker of understanding, that Draco already knew the ultimatum. Breaking the eye contact, Draco looked away, leaning into Blaise as he pulled Virginia against him. Willingly she allowed herself to be encircled by his muscular arms as he bent his head, laying sweet, faint kisses across her temple and on her cheeks. Finally, just before he reached her lips, he spoke.

"And just what would this ultimatum be?" He questioned, his voice so low Severus had to strain to catch it.

"Information or your father's death. The choice is yours, of course," Severus' voice was bitter as he spoke, shaking his head in disgust. Draco didn't answer, his eyes closing and lips freezing a mere breath's width from Virginia's. Slowly, Virginia leant forward, her lips taking capturing Draco's in a gentle yet strong kiss. At first Draco's icy lips lay cold and unresponsive, but as her teeth nipped his bottom lip they prized open, giving into the warmth of her mouth as her tongue tangled with his in a slow, tantalizing caress.

"Where are we to go?" Blaise questioned, not taking his eyes off of the two at his side.

"To the High Court itself," Severus drawled. One of Blaise's perfectly sculpted brows rose as he spun around in surprise.

"Oh? Not like them to involve themselves with the likes of us," He commented, somewhat bitterly, as Draco and Virginia broke apart abruptly.

The High Court was notoriously uninvolved with essentially everything and quite what the reason for their being there was nobody was entirely sure. The Court was small, consisting of just three ex-members of the Wizengamot, two Unspeakables, five Elders and then, finally, _the_ Three.

The Three were not known of apart from for their involvement with the High Court and, though everybody knew their names, the only people who would actually know what they looked like were those who appeared before the Court. Nobody knew who they were, or even where they had come from. Some said that these same three had lived and ruled the High Court for eons, appearing during times of strife, or conflict. Others claimed the High Court had only been formed during the first Dark Age; the first rise of Voldemort. There were those who knew the myths and legends which surrounded the High Court and believed them to be three descendants of the same three lines who ruled each new generation. Because surely the Three could not live forever.

Some people, of course, denied the Three's very existence. This opinion was most popular amongst mudbloods who knew not the myths and legends of times long spent.

This was not an unpopular opinion though, seeing as few ever heard any mention of the Court or saw any of its members. They did not involve themselves in matters of state and, as far as he and Draco knew, they did not involve themselves in anything else either. Draco and Blaise had more knowledge than most on the matter, having become quite fascinated by the Three a few years previous. The High Court had over time been known by many names and seen under many guises, but presently they were referred to only as the Three. Scarcely any of the magical population believed in them anyhow, so there was little point in making a new name for them. According to records the High Court was called to order, presumably by the Ministry, during the first Dark Age. They were said to have provided the Light with much information regarding Voldemort and sent many of his followers to Azkaban, but as soon as the word was sent out that the Dark Lord was 'defeated', they had vanished to whence they came. Lucius had told them once that the Minister had ordered the court to reform, to round up the remaining Death Eaters, but they had not come. Nobody knew why, though Draco and Blaise had their suspicions.

There could be only one of two explanations. Either the High Court had believed Voldemort to be dead, and saw no reason for their continued aid on the matter, or they must have known, on that fateful night, that the Dark Lord was, indeed,_ not_ dead. If the latter, then the High Court had knowingly left the Light to its fate, content with the fact that the Dark would rise again. But then again, if this were the case, then for what possible reason would they have returned now, when the Dark is oh-so-close to domination?

Blaise was torn from his thoughts by Draco's voice.

"We are to meet with the High Court?" He questioned, his voice thick with curiosity as a hint of wonder touched his icicle eyes. Virginia herself looked stunned, gazing unseeingly at the fire. No doubt she had heard of the High Court and the Three from her parents, who would have known of their mysterious aid during the first Dark Age.

"Yes. And, now that I think about it, it might not be a bad idea to take Miss Weasley with you. Perhaps things will not get so predictably out of hand if a somewhat Light witch accompanies you…" Severus mused, watching Virginia with a thoughtful look on his face. Snapping out of her trance, she looked at Severus with a small smirk on her face.

"Turns out I'm not quite as Light as a Weasley's meant to be," She told him dryly. Draco and Blaise's eyes darted to her, gazing at her intently as they realised anew how much they knew _about_ her, yet how little they knew her herself.

"Compared to these two, _I'm_ as Light as a… Perhaps not a Weasley, but maybe a Finnegan," Severus told her wryly, "You'll do just fine, trust me."

Draco and Blaise both seemed to realise what he was saying then and they both spoke at once.

"No, she won't-" Draco ground out, glaring at Severus with eyes which had iced over entirely once again.

"Because you," Blaise levelled his own hard gaze on Virginia, "are staying here. Remember?"

Virginia pursed her lips, fixing both her boyfriends of less than a day with a harsh stare.

"I _want_ to go with you."

"We don't care if you _want_ it," Blaise interrupted, his voice coming out as a growl.

"We don't intend on feeding you to the wolves," Draco hissed, his jaw clenched.

Virginia snorted.

"Hardly. They helped the Light side, remember? _My_ side, for all they know. I'm a _Weasley_," She stressed the word, but the effect was somewhat lost when her nose wrinkled as she said it.

"Surely being a Weasley isn't all that bad, sweetheart," Blaise drawled, an unwanted smirk quirking his lips.

"Yes it is," Draco spoke bluntly, drawing a dark laugh from Blaise. Virginia looked at them stony-faced and Blaise moved towards her, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"Well, _you're_ not all that bad," he told her, gazing intently into her chocolate eyes. He laid a chaste kiss on her lips before continuing. "And we don't give a shit about your family anyway to be honest." She rolled her eyes and spun away from him as he took Draco's hand, a small grin on each of their faces.

Severus cleared his throat and they all three looked at him in slight surprise, having almost forgotten why they were there.

"Whatever your decision, we must go now. They won't take kindly to being kept waiting," Severus told them, his voice clipped.

Virginia spun around to face them, all feelings of humour gone from her face as she gazed at the pair of them, something they couldn't quite name shining strongly in her eyes, mixed with the determined look on her face. Draco and Blaise looked at one another swiftly, coming to a unanimous decision. Breaking apart, they each took one of her hands.

"With one condition," Draco intoned, holding up a finger as she made to argue, "You stay with us at _all_ times." She nodded immediately.

"Of course," She assured them, laying a swift kiss on each of their lips before they followed Severus out of the room.

As soon as they reached the Common Room they saw Pansy, Theo and Kenji standing expectantly by one of the fireplaces. As soon as they saw Draco and Blaise enter the room they moved immediately to their side, questioning gazes on all three faces.

"Severus told us you were wanted at the Ministry."

"Why?"

"Who wants you?"

They questioned immediately, knowing full well they were acting very un-Slytherinly as they disregarded any control they had over their expressions.

"Hush," Draco soothed, running a hand down Theo's arm. Theo's eyes shot to his immediately, a flicker of fear dancing in the hazel orbs. Draco squeezed his arm lightly before looking at the other two.

"I am called to the High Court," There were three sharp intakes of breath. Pansy's eyes flew to his, panic glittering in them.

"The High Court? Truly? But… they have not been seen nor heard in almost two decades… Surely they have not come back_ now_," She looked appalled by the knowledge that the Court had, apparently, reformed.

"And yet they have," Virginia sighed before continuing wryly, "We get to meet the legends." A flicker of amusement passed through Pansy's eyes at this, her posture relaxing slightly as Virginia's comment succeeded in calming her.

"What do they want?" Kenji asked his eyes tight as they flickered between Draco and Blaise.

"Information. They have offered an ultimatum." Draco's gaze lingered on Kenji's for a moment as remembrance mixed with pain and anger flashed through the latter's eyes before they became as cold and green as the gemstone itself. Kenji for one knew the consequences of disregarded ultimatums.

"Virginia and I shall be with him. We ask you to ensure nothing goes… amiss whilst we are gone." Blaise spoke smoothly, his eyes tight. Pansy gazed at Virginia intently for a long while and something seemed to pass between the two girls before the brunette nodded in agreement to Blaise's words.

Blaise opened his mouth to say something but shut it as Millicent joined their group, her eyes not fixing on anybody's, whilst everybody's fixed on her. Looking at Virginia, and Virginia only, she spoke.

"Your brother's outside. He says he wants to speak to you."

"Is he alone?" Virginia questioned smoothly, choosing to ignore the tense atmosphere for the moment.

"No. Potter and Granger are with him."

Virginia shrugged. "Tell him I'm not here."

"No," Severus interrupted. "If he goes looking for you, people will begin to question your whereabouts, and then Draco and Blaise's also. Nobody is to know you have gone. The message was sent from the Ministry to Dumbledore and through him to you and I. Nobody is to suspect a thing."

"Tell him she's busy," Blaise rolled his eyes; "Merlin knows he's not so dim he'll insist on seeing her then."

Millicent nodded and stood back as Severus prompted the others to get a move on as he threw red salt into the fire, ensuring a more comfortable journey. Draco and Blaise glanced at each other, identical looks of resolution on their faces. They nudged Virginia in the small of her back, prompting her to go first.

Just as she picked up a fistful of floo powder she turned abruptly, catching hold of Pansy's arm.

"Seamus," She spoke bluntly and a look of confusion swept over Pansy's features, "If he comes looking for me, tell him the truth," Virginia glanced swiftly at Severus who was frowning disapprovingly at her words, "He won't tell, I know he won't." Pansy bit her lip uncertainly and glanced at Draco once before nodding.

"Of course," Pansy assured her as a worried look entered her eyes.

"It'll be right. I'll make sure they come back," Virginia smiled slightly and Pansy let out a small laugh.

"Don't… Don't let them leave you." Pansy told her, smiling a smile which did not quite reach her eyes, betraying her doubts. Draco and Blaise came up behind Virginia, laying a hand on her back.

"We won't," They insisted before pushing Virginia lightly towards the flames which she stood into before vanishing. Draco followed swiftly after her but just as Blaise was about to step into the fire he turned back to his friends.

"Don't let her brother near our House. Keep him away, at least until we're back. Keep him… occupied," Blaise told them in a voice of liquid darkness. Turning away before he could hear their responses, Blaise followed his lovers into the emerald flames.

oOo

"Bulstrode go tell the Gryffindors to leave and then keep watch of them. You three," He motioned to Pansy, Theo and Kenji, "Keep an eye on things. I'll check in when I get the chance but I'm supposed to be in staff meetings," Severus pulled a face and Theo's lips quirked into a smirk.

"Have fun, sir," He drawled and Severus released a long-suffering sigh as he left.

The three of them had sat down to wait for barely five minutes when Astoria approached and fell gracefully into the seat beside Pansy who, to her credit, only tensed the slightest bit.

"Now will somebody please explain to me what the_ hell_ is going on?" She demanded and Kenji shook his head.

"We can't."

"What do you mean? It's hardly a secret," She smirked and Kenji frowned at her swiftly as he leant his head back against the sofa.

"What are you on about? Only the Slytherins would have seen them go."

"What am I on about? What are _you_ on about?" She questioned perturbed. "I was talking about Draco and Blaise's little show in the Great Hall this morning with Ginevra."

"Virginia," Pansy corrected automatically and glanced at Astoria's surprised face, "She prefers Virginia," Pansy clarified. A slight frown creased the blonde's brow before she turned back to the boys.

"So? Are you going to tell me what the deal with them is?" Kenji rolled his head to the side and caught Theo's eye who smirked at Kenji's hard stare before turning to Astoria.

"Truthfully? We're not entirely sure. We were walking to the Great Hall, Draco and Blaise got in a spot of bother with some cocksure Gryffindors and then Virginia turns up looking all very elegant and collected with a look on her face as cold as the prince's. Draco and Blaise aren't surprised by this at all- of course- and look at her almost as though they were expecting her arrival and it seemed only natural for her to accompany them to breakfast. So after we left the Hall- you of course know what happened there- they disappeared and after about two hours Severus came looking and found the three of them in Draco and Blaise's room, and we spoke only briefly before they left."

"Left? Where to?" Astoria questioned, her eyebrows raised.

"And that's the part I'm not allowed to say," Theo spoke smoothly, smiling slightly at her wrinkled nose.

"In that case, I'll leave you to your secrets," Astoria winked and smiled, taking her leave.

Kenji watched her retreating back with narrowed eyes and so witnessed her careless laugh and light step as she spoke to a fellow Slytherin on her way past.

"That girl is _far_ too happy to be a Slytherin," Kenji muttered darkly and a smirk quirked Theo's lips as he moved so his body was flush against the other boy's side.

"Just because _you_ find amusement in being depressed darling," He smirked, playing with Kenji's hair. Kenji grinned wickedly, pulling Theo on top of him.

"Only because you find it so darn attractive," Kenji smirked as he took hold of Theo's hips.

"Well I can't argue with that," Theo murmured and Kenji released a low chuckle as Theo's lips met his.

Pansy looked away from the pair and stood, moving towards the fire through which the other three had disappeared. She ran her finger absentmindedly along the mantelpiece, her finger curving around the face of the clock. Slowly she traced the Latin words engraved on the rim. They were the words of yet another of their mottos, for the Slytherins had many mottos, most of which were unofficial so as to protect the rest of the world's delicate sensibilities. This one was a typical, somewhat common, motto however. Although coming from Slytherin it didn't really read as a motto, more an order: Nunquam concede, nunquam desiste; 'never give up, never give in'. She was turning to walk away when her thoughts were interrupted by Kenji's voice.

"Sorry Pansy, we didn't mean to make you feel… uncomfortable," he spoke smoothly, the words falling over one another in a stream of velvet melodies. Pansy flicked her eyes over to him and Theo and saw the arrogant smirks on their faces and immediately knew that they were anything but sorry. Not that she'd really expected anything different.  
"Not uncomfortable, Kenji, only…" She paused for a moment, frowning absent-mindedly at the inscription on the clock face. She turned momentarily around to see the two boys but found them kissing again. "Oh never mind," she told them snappishly, as she paced restlessly to the sofa. Theo and Kenji resentfully pulled apart and Theo stood up, moving towards Pansy.

"Pansy, darling, don't be like that," He fell onto the seat beside her, a vision of grace, laying his arm on the back of the seat. She continued gazing darkly at the coffee table in front of her before she tilted her head back on Theo's arm, letting out a soft noise of frustration.

"Sorry," she muttered, "I just… It's just _everything_. I don't, I don't even know what I'm _doing _anymore. I just told a _Gryffindor_ to be careful, and the two Slytherin princes to look after her. My old supposed girl friend is up to something- fuck knows what- and at this rate she's going to get herself killed. Draco and Blaise are walking into the fucking_ bear _pit, and they've just gone and made their lives even harder by having this… _thing_ with a supposed Light witch. And now all three of them are going to the High Court, gods know if they're even going to come back. And… and I just don't know what the _hell_ is going on anymore. _Fuck_!" Pansy swore before all the life seemed to leak out of her. She looked surprised by her little outburst; she wasn't generally one for emotional speeches.

Neither of the boys answered immediately; Theo gazing at Kenji, and Kenji gazing at the fireplace.

"Virginia's not a light witch," Kenji spoke eventually, when the seconds had long since stretched into minutes. Pansy's eyes lifted to meet his and he continued. "Her family may be, but she's not."

"How do you know?" Pansy countered. Kenji turned his head and fixed a level gaze on her.

"Her eyes," He replied softly. Something flickered in Theo's eyes at his lover's words, but nobody saw, for nobody was looking at him.

"What do you mean?" Pansy asked eventually.

"Next time you see her, look into her eyes. Look properly, I mean," A slight smile pulled the corners of his mouth up just slightly, "Some say the eyes are a window to the soul," Kenji told them, his voice taking on a lyrical touch again. He glanced at Theo as he spoke and the younger boy looked down swiftly in a show of shyness before looking back up at Kenji through thick eyelashes. Kenji's full lips parted just slightly and as Theo's eyes centred on them, he felt himself harden. Swallowing tightly, he tore his gaze away, cursing Kenji for being able to have such an effect on him.

"You know you guys _really_ aren't assuaging any of my worries," Pansy rolled her eyes.

"That's not our style darling," Kenji replied dryly and Theo shot him an exasperated glance.

"Shut up, Sakuru," He said shortly and Kenji looked away, a careless grin on his face, "Now, Pansy. Nobody, and I mean nobody, knows everything which is going on at any given time. And that's how it's meant to be," he tucked a strand of her dark locks behind her ear. "Especially now. Which is why us Slytherins must be so adept at improvisation," he frowned briefly, "Or at least good at being emotionless."

Pansy smiled slightly despite herself but as she sighed it slipped from her face.

"It's just… Sometimes," She took a deep breath and continued in a hollow voice, "Sometimes I wonder what the point is. Sometimes I just want it all to end." Silence greeted her words and Kenji was on his feet and halfway to the mantle piece in less time than she could blink. She watched in confusion as he grabbed the clock and spun around to face her once more. Staring her straight in the eye he threw it at her and she caught it deftly, utterly bewildered. Looking at his face which had abruptly lost any sign of a smile, she was slightly, just a tiny bit, afraid of her friend.

"You see it?" He demanded as he stalked slowly towards her. "Do you see what it says?" He hissed as he came to a stop directly in front of her. He held the clock in front of her face for a long moment, gazing intently into her eyes, before dropping it carelessly to the floor when she looked down ashamedly. For he knew then that she had understood; he was talking about the inscription.

Bending over her, bracing himself with his hands on the sofa back either side of her head, he put his face disconcertingly close, his lips a mere breath's width from her ear.

"Nunquam concede," His voice was as smooth as liquid velvet as it rolled over the familiar Latin words. "Nunquam desiste." His breath tickled her ear and she drew in a quivering breath, gazing directly over his shoulder as Theo watched her intently with dark eyes.

The three of them were suddenly aware of another presence in their area and Kenji tensed though did not stand up, his eyes fixing on Pansy's once more as he withdrew slightly.  
"_Never_ say that again, for there is always a point. _Always_," He spoke harshly, eyes boring into hers until she gave him the curt nod of concession and he turned to face Millicent.

"What do you want?" he snapped and Millicent flinched slightly. Theo stood swiftly, his arm encircling Kenji's waist, and felt the older boy relax into him.

"What is it?" Theo questioned the girl in a determinedly neutral voice.

"The trio," Millicent told them, glancing at Pansy who had gathered herself together remarkably quickly and now sat with her legs crossed in a vision of careless elegance. "I've been keeping tabs on them, as promised, but Weasley's intent on coming here and the Potter brat is more than willing to come too. I thought I'd come warn you." Kenji swore under his breath and Pansy glanced at Theo whose face was utterly devoid of emotion. Nobody answered Millicent immediately and the silence stretched and stretched until finally, with an intense look on his face, Theo broke it.

"We," he motioned to himself and Kenji, "will go divert them, distract them. You" At this he pointed to Millicent and Pansy, "will remain here and await Draco, Blaise and Virginia's return." Theo finished and Kenji looked at him with an arched eyebrow.

"_We _will go to the trio?" He asked, his voice laced with disbelief. "You know, killing golden boy_ is_ still off of the agenda…"

Theo fixed him with a pitying gaze.

"I wasn't intending to kill him," He spoke condescendingly which brought a mirthful glimmer to Kenji's eyes, "I don't intend on going to Azkaban, thank you very much."

"But you'd very much like to send Potter there," Kenji commented drily and Theo sighed in a long-suffering way.

"Yes, well… Sometimes we must put aside our own wishes in the interests of what is best for the majority."

"You're sounding very noble. You would have made a fabulous Gryffindor darling," Kenji noted in feigned surprise, his emerald eyes dancing with amusement. Theo dug his finger nails into Kenji's hip so hard that the older boy had to draw in a sharp breath, though not in pain. Theo smirked in an entirely egotistical way and Pansy couldn't help releasing a withering sigh at the pair as Theo spoke casually.

"But darling, if you're _worried_ about facing the trio, that's alright. I won't judge you… _Hufflepuff_," Theo sneered, sending Kenji a sly sideways glance, whose face went completely and utterly blank in record time as he spun away from Theo.

"Are you calling me a _coward_, Nott?" He snarled, his eyes seeming to get darker by the moment. A smile played its way across Theo's face as he danced away behind the sofa.

"Maybe," He taunted, licking his lips as he considered how darn _hot_ Kenji was when he was mad.

"You're not worth my time," Kenji replied shortly, turning away and Theo gave a mocking laugh.

"Not _scared_ are you darling?"

Pansy had barely enough time to duck as Kenji launched himself over the sofa, tackling Theo to the floor. She and Millicent watched in stunned silence as the writhing pair rolled over and over, both trying to get the upper hand. Eventually, Kenji did and he sat straddling Theo's hips, their fingers entangled above Theo's head. Theo watched Kenji with a contented smile as the older boy bent his head closer to Theo's.

"Gotcha," He breathed and Theo's lips parted expectantly as his eyes clouded. Kenji looked at him blankly for a moment before moving to get off of him.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Kenji asked when he was sat upright, pretending to be oblivious to Theo's wants.

Theo made a discontented noise of protest which Kenji attempted to resist but after looking at Theo's faux hurt face for just over ten seconds, he gave in. Bending back over, his lips met Theo's and the younger boy kissed him eagerly.

"You're too darn cute, you know," Kenji murmured.

"I know," Theo smiled and Kenji gave a dark laugh.

oOo

Blaise and Draco's faces were identical masks of disinterest as the three of them were escorted through seemingly endless corridors. Occasionally Virginia would glance at the four emotionless guards dressed in matching burgundy robes so dark they were almost black which surrounded the three of them. The guards never once moved their heads, only their eyes flickering attentively around. When they had first arrived at the ministry these guards were waiting to escort them as soon as they stepped out of the fire. Draco and Blaise had not spoken since they arrived, giving the guards only curt nods to assure them that they understood the procedure. Virginia had stayed mute also as she walked between her two boyfriends, for want of a better word. If she was honest, she was somewhat intimidated by these impeccably dressed guards and their lifeless voices and took comfort from the knowledge that Draco and Blaise were with her.

Anybody they came across in the corridors stood immediately aside to let them pass. Every one of them averted their eyes upon seeing the guards and Virginia was unsure as to whether they had even noted whom it was they escorted. Her mind was a disorganized mess of words and phrases which she had read or heard spoken about the High Court. She was somewhat ashamed to discover, when assessing her knowledge of this illustrious court, that she knew rather little about them. Of course, she knew that they had helped out with capturing the death eaters in the first war- though she knew not to what extent- and that before that time there had been neither word nor whisper of them for decades, _centuries_. Likewise, there had been no sound of the court since the first war.

And, obviously, she had heard of the Three; who on earth could grow up in the wizarding world and claim otherwise? But she knew little else on the matter. There were many rumours and myths encircling the court, some of which claimed that the Three were inexplicably bonded to one another in ways far beyond mortal measures. But then this is only to be expected as it is also believed that they _are_ immortal.

Her thoughts were interrupted when the small procession reached the end of a long corridor and they found themselves face to face with an ominous looking black door.

"We are to leave you here," The head guard spoke abruptly, glancing at his watch. From this angle she had a clear view of the clock face and saw that it was dead on eleven o'clock and wondered absently how tight a schedule they were running to. The head guard and the other three guards spun on their heels and marched swiftly back down the way they had come without a word more said between anyone. Virginia was stunned by their sudden departure, and slightly perplexed that they had not even waited for them to enter the door before leaving.

Draco waited until the sound of their boots had drifted away before putting his hand out to open the door. Only when he stood that close to the door did she appreciate how uncharacteristically small it was compared to others throughout the ministry. With an intense glimmer in his eyes, Draco turned the doorknob and stepped immediately through into what appeared to be a dark abyss. Blaise nudged Virginia along but as much as she tried to tell her legs to move, they remained steadfastly glued to the spot as she gazed in undeniable fear at the point Draco had vanished into.

Blaise lifted her head with his finger and his calming violet-flecked eyes met her own chocolate ones which glittered with sparks of fear.

"Come, love, I will not let anything hurt you," he spoke softly and laid a chaste kiss on her lips. The concern which showed itself almost tangibly in his face and voice was the only thing which allowed her to let him take her hand and lead her into the darkness. That and the blond beauty who had already passed into it.

Draco was stood with his back to the ornate door, his posture tense, as he surveyed the vast, cavernous room. He turned immediately when the door behind him opened and visibly relaxed when Blaise and Virginia emerged. His questioning gaze flew first to Blaise who shook his head almost imperceptibly and Draco's eyes flickered to his and Virginia's joint hands. He moved in two swift strides to their side and his arm wound tightly around the red head's waist as he kissed her hair. His eyes met Blaise's over her head and he saw his own feelings echoed in those dark eyes. _What are we leading her into?_

Virginia, for her part, although intensely relieved to see that neither she nor the boys on either side of her had been suffocated by the darkness, was far too in awe of the room they had entered to care about much else. When she looked back at the door through which she had entered, it was no longer small and unremarkable, but a rather extravagant and highly decorated piece of artwork, carved in what- though surely this could not be true- appeared to be gold. The rest of the room was no less decorative, with ceilings which may as well have reached to the very sky itself for how high up they were. It was the antithesis of every room she had ever entered throughout the entire ministry, which were all minimally decorated.

Voicing her thoughts aloud, she said as much to Draco and Blaise, both of whom donned ironic smiles.

"If our senses and prior knowledge are correct-"

"Which they generally are," Draco interrupted Blaise wryly.

"Then we are lead to believe that we are_ not_ in the ministry at all. By stepping through that door, we seem to have been transported."

Virginia took this in with widening, awe-filled eyes.

"Then where on earth are we?"

"Look at the clock… What time was it when we left?" Draco inquired absently of his companions. Blaise shrugged but Virginia had a sudden flash of the guard's watch as he left them at the door.

"Eleven. It was eleven o'clock exactly when the guards left us outside the door…" She trailed off for her own eyes had just landed on the large clock hung upon the opposite wall. It read ten minutes past eight o'clock. "But… that clock can't be right," She stated, frowning at its face.

"I think you'll find it can, darling. I believe we're in another country," Blaise mused, glancing around.

"Nine hours on…"

"Or three hours previous," Virginia interrupted but Blaise shook his head, motioning to the single table upon which was a copy of the Evening Prophet.

"And there is only one place in that time zone where the High Court would have set up headquarters," Draco finished, looking quite intrigued as he again took in his surroundings.

"Where?" Virginia repeated her earlier question and Blaise turned to her with an amused spark in his eyes.

"Welcome to Japan, Virginia," He announced wryly and Virginia could do nothing but stare in stunned silence as his words reverberated through her mind before a witch appeared through the door beneath the clock. She took short strides in quick succession to where they stood at the end of the room and, addressing only Draco, spoke.

"Welcome. You have arrived at the High Court's premises in Japan," She told them, confirming Draco and Blaise's suspicions. "If you would follow me, sir, I shall escort you into the court." She finished, motioning to Draco. Virginia frowned as she and Blaise followed Draco and the witch.

"To the court? Then where are we now?" She questioned Blaise as quietly as she was able and he wrapped his arm around her waist, his words smothered by her hair as he spoke even quieter than her.

"This is the antechamber. Prepare yourself, my darling, for we are about to see the Three," His voice was laced through with curiosity and she herself could not help a small smile pulling at the corners of her mouth.

However, this excitement vanished as soon as the double doors opened onto another dark room, although this one was hung with torches along the walls and there was a strange, almost ethereal, light dancing throughout. The witch stood aside to allow them entry first and Draco took his place beside Virginia. All three of them stopped for a moment on the threshold, all wondering in that moment quite what they were about to undergo, and whether or not they would be leaving this place unscathed, or even- as Virginia fleetingly thought in a moment of fear- alive.

Blaise's arm dropped from around her waist and they walked as one into the room. Tiered seating rose on either side of the slight slope up which they went as the door clanged ominously shut behind them. They came to a stop in the centre of a circular area, which Virginia could not help but link in her mind to an animal enclosure. Looking up at the raised levels around her, she could not see a thing due to the impenetrable darkness which engulfed her and her boyfriends.

Just when she was almost begging for something- anything- to break the silence, a domineering male voice spoke from the darkness and she very much wished that Blaise had kept his hold on her waist.

"Mr Malfoy, at last," the voice spoke in a falsely amiable voice, the same tone that a lion might use to lure the antelope. "I see you have brought company. How wonderful," His tone utterly contradicted his words but Virginia had no time to think on that as the ethereal light, which she had at first caught a glimpse of before entering the room, surrounded her and lit up the raised seating. She at last had a view of the Three.

Craning her neck backwards, she could see them, sat ahead of all the others in the court, not that there were terribly many, and donned in robes of midnight black. It was the centre man, the dark haired one, whom had spoken and he, along with the other two, was gazing intently straight ahead at something beyond the three on the floor.

It was something about the transcendent light which appeared to emanate from them and the way they looked so extraordinarily and cruelly beautiful that made her want very much to run out screaming and never look back. Or at the very least fall to he ground in fear. Preferably she would bury her face into Draco's blond locks as Blaise's strong arms encircled her from behind and they would escort her away from this place which seemed to promise imprisonment.

But none of those things could she do, for she had to stay strong. She had to prove to Draco and Blaise that she was _not_ a liability, that it was right for her to accompany them.

And so she stayed where she was, her posture stiff but impeccable as her eyes lifted once again to meet the Three. It was at this moment that all three of their eyes shot to her and Blaise- the "intruders"- and identical gazes bored unyieldingly into their minds. Virginia could see only one thing in each of their eyes.

The promise of pain, of suffering, and of death.

Slowly, they levelled their hard gaze on Draco, for he had extended his own invitation to not just one other, but two. In their eyes, he had set out to make a mockery of them and their secrecy.

And they were not amused

oOo

Pansy had been waiting for just thirty minutes when Mercutio stormed into the room, cursing everything in his path and causing a pair of first year girls to stumble backwards in a very un-Slytherin show of terror. Millicent had left for the bathroom about ten minutes ago; evidently she was not eager to rejoin Pansy in yet more awkward silence.

After glancing around to see that nobody from her year or the year above was in the room, she sighed tiredly before standing up and walking over to Mercutio. She came to a stop directly in front of him and he froze for just a moment before moving to push passed her. Capturing his wrist in a surprisingly strong grip she stepped closer, her hand sliding behind his neck where it tangled in his light brown curly locks. His eyes finally met hers and she saw the anger broiling in his bright blue eyes.

"Mercutio, Mercutio, _calm down_," She stressed, applying just a slight bit of pressure with her fingers. He closed his eyes tightly and took a deep breath and when he did again open them she saw the familiar veil had slid over the chestnut orbs, hiding their true emotions. Considering what Kenji had said earlier, she actually did stare into his eyes for slightly longer than necessary, before coming to the astute conclusion that there was nothing there but an eye ball. Taking a step away from him, she noticed him looking at her with a cocked eyebrow- evidently having noticed her prolonged eye contact- and she stared at him bluntly, fighting the blush which threatened to appear. Slytherins- let alone Parkinson's- _did not_ blush. Spinning away so as to not let him see her face, she walked purposefully towards the fireplace.

"Well, are you coming or not?" She called over her shoulder and she heard him release a heavy sigh before following her across the common room.

Once at her previously vacated sofa, she sat down and he took the seat opposite, looking at her expectantly. Curling her legs up beneath her she picked up a magazine from the seat beside her and flicked casually through it, pausing occasionally on the fashion pages. She probably used this tactic far too much. She'd have to find a new one soon, else she'd get bored. But for the mean time, this one _worked_. No Slytherin just casually spills their secrets but most everyone responded to her tactic of ignoring them, even Blaise. Eventually, the silence would- for the other person- get to the stage where it was beyond awkward and they would break it. Hence, she would be able to glean whatever it was that was troubling them.

But after ten minutes, if not more, of flicking through the magazine, she was starting to feel a little awkward herself and she was nearing the last page. Normally people gave in quicker than this but when Pansy glanced subtly at Mercutio through her eyelashes she saw no sign that he was about to break. To her intense discomfort he was looking at her in interest, an amused quirk on his lips. Shooting her eyes back to the magazine, lest he saw her looking, she had barely turned three more pages when Mercutio stood up and walked straight passed her, as simply as that.

She dropped the magazine into her lap, stunned. He did not turn around at the sound of her standing up or when he heard her footsteps follow after him on the stone floors between the rugs. He even ignored her when she called out his name. It was not until he had slowed his pace and she had finally caught up with him that he stopped at her words.

"Hey, why did you take off?" She protested, and then instantly felt pathetic for not coming out with something slightly more eloquent or mature. He frowned at her and crossed his arms, leaning against the wall casually.

"You were ignoring me and reading a magazine. Please explain how I should have known that that translates as 'don't go'," He drawled and she felt herself stiffen at his tone.

"I thought you might like somebody to talk to," She told him smartly, her posture impeccable as she attempted to reassemble her Parkinson pride.

"Pansy, darling, we were sitting in silence. I don't think you quite understand the concept of _conversation_," He told her, his voice dripping with sarcasm and she noticeably bristled. Although, on the inside she was still slightly surprised by the endearment he had casually dropped into the first sentence; they really didn't know each other that well. Such things were not uncommon coming from slytherins, but she hardly ever even_ spoke_ to Mercutio.

Trying to engage her suddenly sluggish mind into thinking of a clever response, she missed the small smile which illuminated his face just briefly before he tucked his chin down to his neck again, staring at the floor.

She did, however, see the smirk which lingered on his face and in that moment she very much wanted to hit him for making her look like an idiot.  
"You know, I was only trying to be _nice_. It doesn't happen terribly often, so you don't have to mock me, prick." She snapped before spinning on her heel and walking sharply away; saving her pride in the only way she now could. She'd only gotten four steps when, with an exasperated sigh, Mercutio caught her hand, pulling her back towards him. She remained with a stiff back as he drew her ever closer to his muscular chest and she was overcome by his warm, nutty aroma. Lifting her chin with a tanned finger, he gazed straight into her eyes.

"I'm sorry," He told her and he sounded so honest that she even believed him a bit, "I didn't mean to insult you. Truthfully, I did not need to speak to you. In those ten minutes of watching you very carefully pretend to study a magazine, I calmed down remarkably well," He smiled at this and released her wrist from his grip. Pansy spun away, a small frown on her brow and just as she was starting to walk away, she was stopped again by his voice.

"We should do it again sometime Parkinson."

Pansy spun around at his words, cocking her head to the side.

"Do what?" She questioned and he smiled, taking a step closer again and wrapping an arm around her waist before she could protest. Lowering his head slightly so that his cheek was mere millimetres from her own and his lips grazed her ear.

"Anything you want," He breathed suggestively and Pansy thoroughly doubted that anybody else could make such a breath sound so silky. Swiftly, his tongue darted out and slicked her earlobe, causing her to take a sharp intake of breath.

With that he walked away, leaving her feeling quite staggered and it was with legs which- although she would never admit to it- shook that she lowered herself onto the nearest sofa. Looking up again, she met Millicent's eyes and knew, by the raised eyebrow and determinedly neutral look on her face that she had witnessed her conversation with Mercutio.

Mercutio was the biggest whore in Slytherin, even more so than Theo. Not that Theo was really a whore anymore, or at least he wasn't for the time being, not since he had "got together" with Kenji. Not that she even knew that for certain either. Neither one had mentioned it, and they had always gone around kissing anyway. Something_ had_ changed though.

Making a mental note to question them later, her mind snapped back to Mercutio. As she had said, he flirted with everything that moved, and most everything that moved flirted back. But she was a Parkinson, damn it; she should- if anyone could- be able to withstand his attentions.

Evidently she had fallen at the first hurdle.

oOo

Blaise felt quite sickened from having to stand before the court so long. There was something about the Three, some aura which seemed to swirl around them and the other members- though to a lesser extent around these- that threatened to bring him to his knees and suffocate him. He desperately wanted to take Draco and Virginia and leave this accursed place as swiftly as humanly possibly.

But by the looks of it, this wouldn't be happening any time soon.

The court had yet to say anything beyond their initial greeting and he wondered if they were expecting Draco to start. If they were, then they would be waiting a damn long time. He and Draco had both tried to reach the Three's minds but, to their utmost discomfort, had found themselves pushed, as though physically, back by some invisible shield surrounding the court. The entire proceedings had been suspiciously lacking in structure or any normality expected at a court. To be honest, Blaise had expected much more from the High Court.

One of the Three- the blond female- blinked down at Draco with a peculiar expression on her face. Automatically reaching for her thoughts Blaise grimaced when he was met with the unyielding shield, feeling quite vulnerable without the ability. All three pairs of eyes turned their piercing gaze to him and he subconsciously stiffened, his eyes gazing intently ahead, betraying no emotion. Eventually, their gaze turned back to Draco and the dark haired male- the only one who had as yet spoken- broke the silence.

"We have called you here today, Mr Malfoy, to address the… delicate situation concerning your father," He spoke in a slow, lilting voice which rather made Blaise want to hit something. Controlling himself, he felt rather than saw Draco's eyes lift to meet the Three with a steady gaze. Stiffly, he nodded.

"You are aware, I presume, of the circumstances regarding Mr Malfoy's-"

"Lord," Draco interrupted shortly, apparently before he could stop himself.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Lord. My father is a Lord and you would do well to address him as such," He told them in a dark voice laced through with barely concealed anger. Blaise glanced to the side when Virginia made a small movement out of the corner of his eye and he saw her hand which had fleetingly reached out to take Draco's arm clench tightly into a small fist. Blaise watched her until she sensed his gaze and he tried- he really did- to allow some sort of emotion akin to confidence and comfort leak into his violet-flecked eyes. The effect was somewhat lost on her as the violet flecks had slowly bled into the black, a sure sign that he was certainly _not_ comfortable.

Draco's announcement met nine sets of hollow, unyielding eyes, but he did not flinch.

"My apologies. I presume you are aware of the circumstances regarding_ Lord_ Malfoy's well-being," He stressed the title with a sardonic mirth that shone momentarily in his eyes that set Blaise's teeth on edge, let alone Draco's.

"To the contrary…" Draco trailed off, a frown on his face, "As what shall I address you?" A few of the ex-wizengamot members looked somewhat shocked at that but the Three- as ever- allowed no emotion onto their faces.

"Your Lords?" The blond haired male suggested, a taint of mirth to his words.

"That would be a lie. For you are not my lords and I do not answer to you," Draco hissed, his right fist clenching briefly.

"And who is your lord Mr Malfoy?" The dark haired male asked silkily, gazing at Draco intently. Draco was silent for a long moment and Blaise knew the inner-battle he was currently experiencing.

"I fail to see what influence that has on the case," He answered eventually, his posture stiff. A sharp intake of breath came from Virginia and Blaise had to fight with everything in him to not take her in his arms.

"Case, Mr Malfoy? Oh no, this is not a case as such. More a… friendly negotiation," He smiled a smile so fake that it made Blaise feel quite sick again. When Draco did not reply, he continued. "In fact, I request that you call us by our forenames," His smile widened, whilst his companions looked decidedly less enthused. "You may call me Mamoru," He told them and Blaise recognised it as Japanese, making a mental note to question Kenji on it later. "And this is Majesta," Mamoru motioned to the woman on his right who remained sitting stock-still. Mamoru turned to his other side, "And this is Nero," Blaise noted these names as Latin, which did little to indicate when they had been named, and so he was no closer to ascertaining their age.

Draco appeared to be facing some sort of inner battle before he finally spoke.

"Fine. Mamoru," he sneered, "it would be appreciated if we could continue with whatever it was which I was called here to discuss."

Mamoru and Nero shared a glance before the former nodded his head curtly, sitting back into the shadow as the latter spoke.

"We wish to discuss the terms of negotiation with you," Nero spoke in a voice which seemed only a shade different from Mamoru's.

"And what is it, quite, that you intend to negotiate?" Draco asked silkily and Nero's voice rose.

"Oh we do not just_ intend_ to; we _will_ negotiate," Draco made to protest but Nero held up one pale hand, "If I were you, Mr Malfoy, I would wait to hear the conditions before you refuse negotiation seeing as, obviously, the loss will not be to _us_ if you fail to see reason."

Draco's eyes narrowed to slits and his upper lip drew back over his gleaming teeth. Taking half a glance at Draco's tightly clenched fists, Blaise stood forward, laying a casual hand on the blonde's arm.

"Now, really, seeing as how we came here at our own inconvenience to serve your wishes, it _is_ rather rude to keep us waiting so long," Blaise said in a determinedly pleasant voice.

"I apologize," Nero mocked, "We were merely addressing the pleasantries."

"We do not care for your pleasantries," Blaise snapped, his eyes a black abyss once more. "Either tell us- right now- what it is that you want from Draco, or we leave." He gritted his teeth, glaring up at the court above him.

It was the female who answered him, the first time she had spoken since they had entered.

"Then by all means, Lord Zabini, let us continue."

oOo

Kenji and Theo walked in silence to the courtyard where Millicent had told them the trio would be. Both of them were tense from waiting to see what fate had befallen their friends and the knowledge that they were walking towards a conversation with their least favourite Gryffindors.

As soon as they caught site of the trio, Theo had to grit his teeth as he stopped himself from cursing the cocky gits.

"…That's it- I'm going there right now. She's my sister damn it!" Weasley exclaimed as they approached and he spun away from his friends and right into Kenji. Pushing him away none too lightly, Kenji brushed his arm as if to brush the filth away as Theo spoke.

"Oh no you are _not_."

"Oh yeah? Who are you to say what I can and cannot do?" Weasley demanded, squaring up to Theo who looked at him pityingly.

"A member of the House you intend to break into," He replied shortly and Weasley took a resentful step backwards.

"I want to see my sister, and I think it is well within my rights to do that."

Granger hissed something at Weasley but he did not pay her any heed.

"Well I don't." Theo told him shortly and Weasley's eyes flashed as his fist moved as though to punch him before Kenji's own hand wrapped tight around his wrist as fast as anyone could blink.

"I _really _wouldn't do that, Gryffindor," He snarled, his nails biting into the skin before he released him harshly, wrapping an arm around Theo's waist.

"Why are you here?" Potter demanded after a few moments of awkward silence.

"To keep you away from Slytherin," Kenji replied smoothly.

"Why? What are you hiding?" Weasley rounded on them and Kenji cast him a withering gaze.

"Your sister, obviously. She doesn't want you anywhere near her or our House."

"It's not her House," Weasley ground out.

Kenji shrugged carelessly.

"I never said it was."

"So what, you're staying here with us until Ginny decides she wants to see us?" Hermione asked perplexedly. "Don't you have anywhere better to be?"  
Theo snorted without humour.

"Oh, trust me; we have _many_ better places we could be."

"Then why are you here?"

"Because_ somebody _is threatening to attack our House," He glared openly at Weasley who looked slightly sheepish.

That time, the silence pushed well past breaking-point and into the time when even silence had started to sound loud. It was probably in a desperate wish to get away from this that Weasley had again spoken.

"I saw your father in the paper the other day," Weasley said bluntly, looking at Kenji. Kenji glanced up at him, and then Theo, frowning slightly at the latter.

"Oh right," He replied for lack of anything better to say.

"Yeah," The silence stretched a few more minutes before Weasley broke it again eventually. "Where's he from?"

"I beg your pardon?" Kenji questioned, truthfully perturbed by the question.

"Your father. Where is he from?"

"Is it really any of your business?" Weasley bristled defensively at Kenji's words.

"Well, _you're_ the ones who are insisting on staying with us. I had to say something to break the silence," He snapped.

"You know, they say silence is golden…" Theo murmured quietly and Kenji quirked his lips, but he doubted the others heard, as he answered them shortly.

"Fine. Whatever. He's Japanese. Like me."

"He doesn't _look_ terribly Japanese. Neither do you," the Gryffindor stated bluntly and Kenji arched an eyebrow in disbelief as the mudblood breathed Weasley's name in warning, not taking her eyes off of the two Slytherins. Weasel's face turned defensive, "Well you don't! You're skin in just a few shades darker; that's the only difference."

"Just because you can't get a tan Weasley," Theo snapped, his eyes seething at the other boy's impertinence and Kenji's arm tightened around his waist. Why the Gryffindor had to test them _now_, he did not know. He closed his eyes tightly, taking a deep breath to calm himself before he answered the idiot.

"What did you expect? We _are_ the aristocracy after all," Kenji stressed and this time the Potter brat answered in the stead of his loyal follower.

"What's that got to do with anything?" He demanded, a hard look on his face. Kenji saw Granger's eyes lift to the ceiling, looking very much like she wished the ground would swallow her up.

"Why don't you ask little Miss Know-it-all? I'm sure she's _dying_ to tell you," Kenji told them, turning his head into Theo. "Relax, my darling. It won't do us any good to kill them…" He breathed, too low for the Gryffindors to hear.

Theo did not look towards him, his eyes trained steadfastly on the three before them. Kenji kissed Theo's cheek chastely before turning back to the mudblood expectantly. She glanced at the Slytherins before addressing her friend.

"Purebloods don't, er, differ like muggles do. They are, essentially, very similar, having all originally descended from the same people. As in, different breeds of dog all look different but each dog of the same breed looks very similar. Wizarding blood is almost like a different breed of humans, and for that reason we are all similar. The only reason we have some evident examples of racial differences throughout the wizarding world is through breeding with muggles over the years." She spoke swiftly, glancing at Kenji as though for approval at the end. His cold eyes passed over her and landed on Weasley, who was still glaring daggers at them, as he was already fully aware of how the pureblood genes had passed through the generations, and then Potter, who was looking thoroughly confused by the situation.

"Good Lord, Potter, do try not to look too pained by the knowledge," Kenji rolled his emerald eyes and a strange expression passed through Potter's eyes as he watched. He seemed often to have that reaction when looking at Kenji's eyes. Theo's eyes narrowed beside him and he knew that he had not been alone in recognising the look. _Jealousy. _Because whilst Potter's green eyes had dampened somewhat over the years into a sage green mix, Kenji's still shone as bright as the brightest emerald, golden droplets sparkling in them.

An arrogant smirk licked its way across Kenji's face and he raised an eyebrow at the Gryffindor in expectation of his answer.

"I don't understand," Potter spoke at last, a deep frown furrowing his brow. "Why does being part of the aristocracy change anything?" Kenji did nothing but stare at the boy for a moment. His patience with their company was swiftly approaching wearing thin and he knew that if his was not holding, Theo's was already past breaking point, Kenji's presence the only thing keeping him from killing them all.

He was saved having to answer however by Pansy sauntering up behind him. She fixed the Gryffindors with a condescending glare and Potter made a pitiful attempt to glower back. Pansy's lips almost quirked in amusement as she stood on Theo's left.

"Theo, Kenji, darlings, I've been looking for you everywhere, Sev- Professor Snape wants to see you," She spoke in a velvety voice. Theo turned to face her with a smirk on his face.

"I don't suppose it's to offer congratulations for the little, er-" at this he glanced swiftly at Weasley- "incident?" He drawled, enjoying the appalled and angry face that Weasley greeted his words with.

"No, I don't suppose it is," She agreed, her eyes twinkling with mirth at the lie designed to wind the Gryffindors up. "He tried to get Draco and Blaise but, well, they got away."

"Well, we wouldn't want to keep him waiting then would we?" He smirked and the three of them turned their backs on the Gryffindors, eager to see if their friends had returned.

"Hey! I asked you a question, damn it!" Potter shouted from behind them before Ron had a chance to deal any threats, but none of the Slytherins turned, tired of the Gryffindors. They had moved only two steps though when a hex hit Kenji on the back of the head. Cursing, he spun around, his wand in his hand already, his eyes burning as he glared bloody murder at the Potter brat. Before Kenji could stop him, supposing he even wanted to anymore, Theo was at the Gryffindor's side, a fist caught in Potter's black hair. Tugging at his hair so hard that the boy whimpered, he forced him roughly to his knees. He bent over, hissing in the boy's ear loud enough for all to hear.

"Because, you pathetic little_ shit_, the wizarding aristocracy _are_ the purebloods," He spoke, stating what should have been the fucking obvious. "Well, to a certain extent that is," His gaze lifted slightly and trailed over Weasley who bristled noticeably. Theo's eyes shot back to Potter's, fire burning in them, as he tightened his hold on Potter's hair until tears were drawn unwillingly from the boy's eyes. "If you ever so much as fucking_ try_ to touch a single hair on Kenji's head again, I will make fucking sure that it's the last thing you ever do. Is that fucking clear?"

The promise of pain in Theo's voice was painstakingly obvious and the Gryffindor had no other option but to make a noise of assent. "What was that? I can't hear you mudblood," He spat.

"Y-y-yes," Potter gasped out at last and a victorious sneer appeared on Theo's face.

"Good," He stood up, throwing the Gryffindor to the floor. But, just as he turned away, the brat just had to go and make matters worse for himself.

"You Slytherins are all a bunch of fucking faggots anyway," Potter called out from the floor as loud as he could, considering his shaking voice. Theo spun around faster than anybody could track except Kenji and Pansy and kicked Potter hard in the face, relishing in the sickening crack his boot made on impact.

Turning away he returned to Kenji's side, wrapping an arm around the older boy's waist.

"Oh, and if I were you, I wouldn't come anywhere near our House if you know what's good for you," Pansy called over her shoulder as the three of them walked away, none of them looking back to see Granger mending Potter's nose.

* * *

Sorry to leave you on a cliffie, but this chapter was getting LONG, and I thought it best to leave it there.

Hopefully this update will be up relatively soon, compared to the 7 month wait you just had..

Oh, and pleasepleaseplease review! (:


	8. Alone, Together

_... I'm still alive! Sosososo sorry for leaving for very nearly a year! :( I had a difficult time through last autumn/ winter and have only just found the time to write, though don't count on speedy updates cause I have a zillion exams in the next month! This chapter is shorter than past ones, and I feel that it has a slightly different tone to it due to not having written this story in so long... Hopefully that won't detract from the story though (:_

_As ever, much love to all my readers, and thank you so much to those who reviewed! I'd completely forgotten about the Volturi from Twilight- they're really not supposed to have anything whatsoever to do with this story aha (: Anyway, you've waited long enough, so here it is (:_

* * *

"Then by all means, Lord Zabini, let us continue."

The cold, cutting voice slipped into Draco's mind, clawing menacingly at his thoughts. Gritting his teeth, he stayed completely still, not acknowledging that anybody had spoken.

Draco wanted this over with, and quickly. But at the same time, he never wanted them to start talking. He never wanted them to actually_ tell_ him that they fully intended to kill his father.

He knew that nobody else would, could, come to his father's rescue- not against the High Court- and so, not for the first time, he found himself alone with Blaise. Except this time they had Virginia, this time they had someone other than each other to protect at all costs- no matter how high said cost rose.

"We have summoned you here today," The female- Majesta- began, her cold voice ringing throughout the chamber, "To hear evidence from yourselves on Lucius Malfoy's transactions, affiliations and- namely- his role as Death Eater and advisor to the Dark Lord Voldemort."

"And what makes you think we would tell you anything?" Came Draco's soft croon, his eyes trained on his fingernails which he admired distractedly.

"Because, boy, otherwise we will kill your father without a moment's hesitation," Majesta snapped, eyes flashing in the dusk of the room. Draco's smirk, which had appeared at the address of 'boy', lingered.

"But, forgive me if I'm wrong, you seem to have_ already_ hesitated, else, had you not, he would be dead already," He flashed a small smile at the three seated above him, before continuing in a savagely sweet voice. "You need something from me Mamoru, and you know I would not spare you a moment's thought if my father were safe. Now you are going to tell me, exactly, what it is we are here for, or else we shall walk away _without a moment's hesitation_," He mimicked mockingly. Mamoru visibly bristled and his reply was as quick as it was sharp.

"If you dare to walk away we will have your father killed before you have even left the room," He hissed.

"Now let us get this quite straight," Draco snarled, his voice taking on an authoritative tone as he stalked forward slowly, a sight shield surrounding him from everyone except Blaise, "If you dare to touch my father one more time, we will_ tear_ this court to the ground, with you three crushed beneath the rubble." A few of the Wizengamot had the nerve to share uneasy gazes as Draco's pronouncement was met with icy silence.

"And just how do three underage wizards plan to do that, hm?" Nero sneered, a mocking lilt to his voice. Draco moved his gaze to Blaise, unspoken words dancing between the pair before the latter grazed Virginia's palm with his fingertip, drawing her backwards in an imperceptible move.

"Running scared are we, Mr Malfoy?" As Nero's cold laugh echoed through the room, Draco spun faster than anybody could track, losing his sight shield as he did so, and there were several sharp inhalations as they beheld the man which stood before them. This was no child's magic. Black swirls of restless dark energy pulsed in and out of his fingers, the tips of hair, even the very tips of his eyelashes, framing his eyes, which were once mercury but now shone as bright as liquid silver. Shadows surrounded him, flickering around his beautifully pale- oh so very, very pale- skin. The temperature in the room changed as Draco drew on the magic which seeped from the Three, manipulating it, making it his own; as cold as ice itself.

Blaise, who had drawn Virginia back in an attempt to protect her from their lover's magic, could not help his feet which danced ever closer towards Draco, his own body and magic both infatuated and desperately hungry for the other. Draco appeared to be in a state of his own; his eyes focussed on no-one and nothing, his feet neither touching the ground nor hovering over it. He was as ethereal as a fallen angel, as dark as a demon's shadow.

Blaise heard his own voice ringing out before he'd even thought to say something, the eloquently formed words spilling effortlessly from pulsing lips.  
"You see? We are the most powerful sorcerers of the age; we are more powerful than even _you_," He stressed, his eyes not leaving Draco's toiling shadow form. "We have no further reason to stay; you have nothing with which to hold us." His eyes rose to meet Mamoru's and his eyes tightened when he shook his head. "Tell us then if you disagree, why would we stay?"

Silence greeted his words, silence that stretched as if for eternity. Draco withdrew his magic; Virginia remained tense between them.

"Because we know something you need," Mamoru stood upright as he spoke, and for a moment his domineering presence was truly felt by the three below him. "We know something about your precious Dark Lord, something he has gone to all extents to keep a secret from his followers."

His words hinted of enough truth to give Draco and Blaise reason to pause in their progress. Virginia's head whipped round sharply, her eyes keenly scanning the Three's faces, an unreadable expression in her chocolate orbs. Draco reached out a hand to hers and she allowed him to hold it, hers not responding as she stood completely still.

Concerned now, and even more eager to be rid of the court, Blaise turned back to them.

"You have already seen a demonstration of our magic; no Lord could control it. Voldemort hasn't a hope in hell of ever keeping a hold once we have come of age. We are not easy to hoodwink; we see through glamours, we can smell poison in its most mild form a mile away, we can sense a traitorous mind. Has it occurred to you that we may even know what this secret is?"

Mamoru smiled, "Trust me, if you knew, Slytherin purebloods such as yourselves would not still be calling him Lord. And as to it being a glamour he uses, or even a potion that he routinely drugs you with- it is more like the two are combined." Seeing now that both Draco and Blaise had become attentive listeners, Mamoru keenly continued, trying to hold their interest. "When Voldemort marks his followers, traces of a poison that can ensnare the mind are leaked into the Dark Mark branded upon the forearm- close to the veins. The "glamour" as you call it, is far greater than the one Mr Malfoy conjured earlier. This glamour covers everything about the Dark Lord and it is impossible to notice, particularly for those with the Dark Mark. It is old magic; even if the follower attempts to seek the answer, they cannot deduce it. If somebody from the Light side tells them, their mind is forced to forget it as soon as they depart the Light's company."

"Why should we trust you?" Draco demanded.

"Because there is no reason for us to lie," Mamoru smiled in a sickly sweet way again, "If we tell you the secret, you will tell us _every_thing you know, about _every_one you know who has been involved with Lord Voldemort. If you prove uncooperative after discovering the secret, we shall kill Lucius Malfoy."

Draco and Blaise froze, a deathly silence settled throughout the room as Mamoru sat down, pleased with how the meeting was going. If they were told the secret, they could find out what Voldemort had been hiding _and_ save Draco's father, at the loss of essentially everybody else in the whole world they'd ever cared for. If they discovered the secret but refused to tell their own secrets, Draco's father would die. The Slytherin princes' gazes met and for a long tense moment they just stared into each other's eyes; ebony meeting mercury. They both knew they needed this secret- the idea that they had had something kept hidden from them for so long was insufferable and they knew they would never reach the height of their own power at Voldemort's mercy in this way. And yet they could not sell out their friends. They would stop at nothing to keep those whom they held dear safe.

Eventually, with a pained shimmer that only Blaise could see, Draco nodded and any expression immediately melted into the emotionless mask. Gritting his teeth, Blaise turned back to the court.

"We accept your conditions," He announced in a toneless voice. Virginia let out a strangled gasp that sounded strangely like a 'no' and he felt rather than saw Draco loosening his hold on her hand as he slipped into a nonresponsive state. Sensing the need to move fast, Blaise continued before anyone else could speak. "We understand that, upon hearing this secret, we have no other choice than to sell out everyone we know, else Lord Malfoy will be killed," A pause, Blaise couldn't continue. He couldn't sign off his love's father like that- for that was their only option; they would never sell out their friends.

"We have your word?" Mamoru demanded, a dark eyebrow arched. Blaise didn't move. Nobody moved. The silence was palpable, the expectation choking him, suffocating him with its demands. Draco was unreachable. Blaise had to do this; there was no other way. He took a step forward, looked up at the court, and opened his mouth to confirm-

But suddenly another voice broke through the expectant silence, a voice which had as yet been silent. It came from right beside him.  
"No," Virginia called loudly, her steady voice echoing off of the court walls. Draco stood beside her, half a step back, taking a defensive stance as his senses snapped back to the present; whatever his inner turmoil, he would always defend her. Blaise could tell that Draco had as little idea as him about what she was going to say. Taking half a step closer to the girl between them, he too raised his eyes challenging to those sat above.

"We do not accept your conditions, and we have no need of your secrets," Her voice rang out through the chamber, resonating in its deepest reaches. Nero adopted a patronising smile as he looked down at her.  
"Miss Weasley, I don't think you quite appreciate what a _great_ secret this is," He told her, his gaze mocking her. Virginia narrowed her eyes at him, drawing herself to her full height as she settled her eyes upon him.

"We have no need of your secret because I already know it," She hissed and a deathly silence greeted her words once again. Mamoru blinked. This much was unexpected. The silence stretched and stretched, Blaise's mind spun and spun; _how_ could Virginia know?

"How do we know you're not bluffing? If you know, as you claim to, the secret, then why would you have not told them before?" Majesta's voice pierced the silence and the two females gazed pure venom at each other before, in a clipped voice, Virginia spoke.

"There hasn't been time," She said shortly.

"You will tell them now, before us all, so that we know you are not lying about knowing the secret in order for you and your _boyfriends_," Majesta sneered, "to escape without consequence."

Again, Virginia remained silent until, with a curt nod, she spun to face Draco and Blaise. Facing away from the court, she looked terrified. Blaise and Draco took two hesitant steps forward, unable to help her for they had no idea what she was worried for. As they each took one of her hands, a dart of pain glistened fleetingly in her eyes.

"Please don't hate me," She whispered, so low nobody else could hear but them.

"Never," They assured her in unison. Taking a deep breath she turned back around, Draco and Blaise with her, so that only her face now faced the court.

In a dull, lifeless tone, she told them simply.

"Voldemort's not pure. He's half. His father was a muggle. His mother was terrified of her own magic." She watched in pained silence as their masks abruptly melted, and she was glad she had thought to position them away from the court.

oOo

Theo was silently fuming as they strode in silence through the secret passages so as to reach the common room faster. He had shrugged out of Kenji's hold, his eyes toiling within his emotionless façade. Kenji shared a tense glance with Pansy before speaking,  
"Are they back?"

"No," She replied, a slight frown on her face as they crossed into the dungeons; Slytherin territory.

"Why did you come for us then? I assume Severus isn't really there?" Kenji asked, and he was almost certain that Pansy looked a little embarrassed, though he had no idea why.

"I needed to get out of the common room..." She trailed off, not meeting his eyes, "Besides, it's lucky I did before Theo did anything unfortunate." She finished lightly, intending to engage Theo but he either didn't hear or was choosing to ignore her. Just as they approached the common room entrance they spied the tell-tale glint of Gryffindor robes out of the corner of their eyes and Theo had spun around so fast that Kenji only had the slightest second to catch his arm as he reflexively glared pure murder at the other boy.

It was Finnegan. He'd taken a defensive stance at Theo's abrupt appearance but did not appear to be afraid of them, a fact which almost disheartened Kenji.

"We're going fucking nesh," He muttered and Theo's lips almost twitched, his eyes lightening just a little.

"Seamus," Pansy said by way of greeting, "Virginia said that you may come looking for her."

"Where is she? She said she'd meet me ages ago," His eyes were tight; he was evidently worried for his friend. For the longest time the three Slytherins just stared at him until, with a sigh, Pansy spoke.

"Come, she told us to tell you. Although she promised we could trust you." Her eyes narrowed searchingly, "Is she right? Will you keep our secrets, if only to protect her?"

"Of course," He did not flinch at her gaze and, with a curt nod, she lead him into the Slytherin common room, perturbed gazes greeting them once they were inside.

Pansy lead him to a secluded seating area in the corner; most the students were at lessons and those who weren't needed only one look from Pansy to take their things and retreat from the area.

Kenji made to follow Seamus but Theo caught hold of his wrist, staring at him intently before turning on his heel and walking towards his room. Intrigued, Kenji followed him. The moment he had closed the door behind him Theo had him pinned up against the door, his lips kissing Kenji's as if they were providing him the very breath with which to live. Kenji, surprised though he was, gave in willingly and it wasn't until Theo began alternately unbuttoning his shirt, having already torn his own off, and unzipping Kenji's trousers did he ease back.

"Theo, my love, stop, please," Kenji panted. Theo stopped, leaning against the wall beside them, panting as his emotionless mask finally slipping from his face. Kenji could do nothing but stare at first, into the eyes which held such pain, such misery; the eyes which he had fallen in love with upon first seeing. It hurt, filled him with such guilt, to see those eyes so filled with pain. It hurt so much that he couldn't bear to continue gazing at them, allowing his head to fall back, his eyes to close in shame.

Theo gave a short, humourless laugh as his hand slipped into his pocket for his hipflask and was lifting it again to his lips when Kenji, whose eyes had shot open, knocked it from his hands. They both stared at each other as the flask's contents spilled across the floor, Theo's eyes gleaming with shock, anger, and underneath it all so much pain they could hardly breathe with it.

"What the fuck did you do that for?" Theo hissed. "Hm, Kenji? What the _fuck_ were you doing?" Kenji didn't answer. Anger broiled in eyes that, once so light and carefree, were toiling with darkness, more pupil shining than iris. He was staring at Kenji with something akin to fury and it hurt to watch. Spinning away, Theo strode to the opposite wall, bracing himself with his forearms.

Kenji had seen him like this before only a few times, and never had it been directed at him. The last time he remembered seeing Theo quite this pissed was the night his father had been taken. He'd been furious during the questioning at the ministry when, after swearing loudly at the judge before the whole court, he had stormed from the building in anger. Kenji had been with him, as Kenji always had been with him. From the beginning.

Only he hadn't recently. Only they'd both been dancing consciously and subconsciously around the topic of Theo's father, and the topic of death, and capture. They spoke not a word of it. Kenji had no reason to ever wish to talk on it, and Theo distracted himself with his many whores, although their number had dilapidated considerably since their conversation in the woods that day. But still Kenji couldn't face to talk about it; not now, not ever. But he had to, because Theo needed him to, and he had never denied Theo anything before.

Padding across the floor on silent feet Kenji came to a stop behind his best friend, his only love, and moved the few inches so that he was directly behind him. His fingers curled around his biceps, travelled upwards and danced along the side of his neck as his lips lay a sweet, lingering kiss on his nape. His hands moved down his back, circling around his waist, stroking down the trail of hair which lead to his boxers.

Theo's voice was quiet, hoarse, when he spoke; his eyes closed in pain.

"I miss him Kenji, I really fucking miss him."

"I know, I know you do my love" Kenji whispered, his voice as gentle as his fingers. "Look at me Theo..." Theo obliged, turning so that his front was flush against Kenji's. Kenji was but an inch taller and their lips met with familiar synchronicity. Kenji's fingers raked smoothly, calmly, through the other's hair whilst his free hand supported him on the wall beside Theo's head.

"I am yours, and you are mine. Forever and always Theo, that is what we promised. Forever and always." His hands cupped the younger boy's saddened face as their foreheads pressed together.

"I love you Kenji Sakuru, you know that right?" A slight smile licked its way across Theo's face and Kenji smirked, wondering at the same time however who would be next to share his bed.

"Who doesn't?" He winked and Theo laughed, his hold tight on Kenji's hips. Kissing him lightly again he took a breath, "We should go back. They'll return soon, and we've left Pans alone with a Gryffindor."

Kenji made a non-committal noise as he continued nibbling a trail along Theo's collar bone.

"Love?" Theo laughed, gasping as Kenji bit down a little harder.

"I'm sure they won't miss us that much..." Kenji murmured, his eyes flashing evilly as his hands slipped downwards. Theo's eyes widened and he gasped, eyelids fluttering shut.

"I suppose a few more minutes wouldn't hurt..." He trailed off as Kenji let out a wicked laugh as he unzipped the others' trousers.

oOo

Blaise and Draco's world spun upside down and- for the first time in their lives- they thought they might actually be about to faint. They felt sick; Draco's stomach turned over and he physically feared that he was actually about to vomit. Clenching his jaw tightly, he managed to keep it down, but his body was still desperate to do it; desperate to rid itself of the disgusting thoughts that were Voldemort. Voldemort was a mudblood.

He couldn't believe this. The last few generations of most every respectable pureblooded family had bowed to this man, this disgusting piece of filth.

Draco was equally disgusted that he hadn't seen it before; that neither he nor Blaise had sensed his true blood, even when they knew something was not quite right about the Dark Lord. An awful snarl ripped through the hall until Draco realised that it had come from him. He spun around to face the court, he no longer held any control over his power which was swirling, joint with Blaise's, about the three of them. He stared challengingly at the Three above them.  
"We now know the secret. There is nothing you can offer us, nothing we shall give you and so no reason for us to be here." His voice echoed through the chamber and Nero pursed his lips.

"But she is light." Neither Draco nor Blaise made any inclination that they had heard him; he continued. "As we said, as soon as you depart the light one's company you forget what it was that they told you." A smile danced across Virginia face at these words and she sauntered forwards a little.

"Light you say? Whatever makes you think that?" She asked in a sweetly innocent voice and Draco and Blaise could feel the magic around them being manipulated, warmed, and entranced by fire.

"You're a Weasley," Nero announced coolly as the High Court gazed down at the girl beneath them; at the fire which swirled from her fingertips, at her scarlet hair which danced between flickering flames of orange and her eyes, framed in swirls of dark energy, which gleamed with flecks of heat and light. She was ethereal, as majestic as the two on either side of her. Together they were blindingly, haltingly powerful; suffocating in their magic.

Virginia noted how Nero took a slight intake of breath, sitting back in his seat as he surveyed the scene. There was nothing the Three could do. Not now. Not without killing them and announcing to the world that they were very much back in the present.

Draco's eyes met Mamoru's in challenge and, with tight eyes, he motioned with his hand to the door. Draco inclined his head, his and Blaise's magic already withdrawing as they regained control; they would deal with Virginia's once they were out. Just as he turned to leave however, Mamoru's cold voice cut through the silence once more.

"One last thing..." Blaise's eyes were the only ones which lifted. "Your friend, Kenji Sakuru..." Blaise's eyes tightened, Draco stiffened. Mamoru noted this with a smile. "Tell him a message to pass onto his father, won't you? We should like him to visit home once in a while; tell him we would give a _most_ cordial welcome. Or otherwise, I'm sure my friends and I would not mind to pay a visit to _dear_ Isamu..."

Blaise's eyes filled with fire at Mamoru's croon and, turning on his heel, they swept from the chamber, not once looking back.

They strode fast through the entrance hall, this time not hesitating to walk through the door of darkness, desperate as they were to vacate the place and return to their friends. Once out the other side Draco and Blaise turned immediately to Virginia, laying hands on her neck and wrists as her magic seeped into them. She gasped in relief when finally it had all gone.  
"I'm not too good at controlling it like you too," She murmured, looking exhausted. Draco smiled tightly, laying a sweet kiss on her lips.

"We've had years of training," He assured her.  
"We shall soon teach you, we promise," Blaise smiled, slipping an arm around her waist. He glanced at Draco.

"I wish to leave, everything that was said in there has put me on edge, we must see the others." Draco nodded in agreement.

"Of course, ma cherie, take my hand," He prompted Virginia and she willingly obliged, "We will apparate, it is quickest."

"But the wards..." She countered in a sleepy voice.

"Are no match for us," Blaise spoke, kissing her head before he and Draco both spun in unison, taking her home to the castle.

oOo

Pansy grimaced internally at the thought of Kenji and Theo for deserting her with the Gryffindor but, out of respect for Virginia, forced herself to be civil even as she wondered where Millicent was. Seamus sat beside her on the sofa, relaxing into the cushions a little _too_ calmly. Pansy smiled very slightly.

"So?" He prompted, not noticing her smile.

She sighed.

"I'll cut to the chase. Draco's been summoned by the High Court- I'll assume you know who they are- with regards to his father. Blaise and Virginia went with him." Silence greeted her words, unsurprisingly. He stared at her in gormless shock for a good three minutes before composing himself and Pansy couldn't help but muse over why everyone was so slow to control their facial expressions.

"The High Court? Are you fucking joking me?" He let out a shout of laughter; a loud one. She grimaced internally as other Slytherins looked over in surprise; Gryffindors were so unsubtle.

"No, I'm not," She told him, noticing as he bit back a smile and she narrowed her eyes instinctually. "What?" He looked a little surprised that she'd noticed and shook his head with an open smile.

"Nothing."

"Tell me or I'll tell your dear friend that I overheard you bitching with her brother."

His face darkened. "You'll do no such thing," He snarled and she merely shrugged. Narrowing his eyes he answered her.

"Fine. I was only saying that it was a rather unnecessary question of mine anyway as you don't really seem one to joke." He smiled.

"Oh and I suppose you're the class joker are you?" She replied sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"You know they say sarcasm is the lowest form of wit," He chimed.

"And the highest form of intelligence," She countered and he grinned. She rolled her eyes again.

"Careful, you'll wear your eyes out," His eyes sparkled with mirth as she levelled a steady gaze on him.

"At least they're not lazy," She snapped.

"What are you implying?" He grinned and she gave him a slow, appraising look before raising her eyebrow.

"I think you know," She mused.

"I'll have you know my body is in very fine condition," He smiled arrogantly and she had to refrain from rolling her eyes yet again.

"Oh bravo. You're so..." She trailed off.

"What?"

"_Gryffindor._"

"You say that like it's a bad thing," he joked reproachfully.

"Funny that," She muttered and he was about to respond when, just at that moment, Kenji and Theo appeared as if summoned whilst the flames in the fireplace flashed brightest green momentarily. All eyes were drawn to the fire; the princes were returning.

oOo

Theo moved towards them the moment they appeared in the midst of the common room. The prince's looked angry, he could tell with once glance that they were only just managing to keep check of their emotions. Virginia looked exhausted and Theo saw Seamus rise to his feet and cross the room swiftly to reach her side. The prince's had let go of their hold on her and she welcomed Seamus' hold around her waist as she leant on him gratefully. Nobody spoke for a long moment until Blaise broke the silence.

"Go. Everyone go. I don't give a damn where, just leave the common room now. And someone get me a fucking drink." Nobody needed telling twice and the room was empty, bar Kenji, Theo, Pansy and Seamus, within minutes. It was not like the prince's to throw around their influence in such a way; something was wrong. Something was dreadfully wrong. Theo looked down, turning his head slightly towards Kenji who was stood beside him. Kenji did not stir.

Returning from the drinks cabinet with a bottle of brandy Pansy approached the two, her eyes guarded. One could never be sure what the prince's would do when they were in such a temperamental state; she was wise to be cautious. They had sunken into the sofa behind them and Draco's head was tilted back to the ceiling, his eyes gazing unseeingly. Blaise hand, almost subconsciously, found his and their finger's entwined. Pansy, distracted slightly by the sight of them, knocked the bottle on the glass as she poured the drink; a clear sign that she was not in control. Faster than she could blink Draco reached out and caught the glass, causing her to jump in a very un-Slytherin manner. Draco reset the glass on the table, standing up to her side.

"Hush, I did not intend to frighten you," He murmured yet she could not respond in any form for her body was too tense. Turning away and downing the glass of brandy, he and Blaise stared at each other for a long while. Seamus was sat in the armchair with Virginia curled up on his lap, her concerned gaze not leaving her boyfriend's.

"Well?" Seamus questioned shortly, looking searchingly from the exhausted girl atop him to the two before him. Blaise threw him an uninterested look.

"You already know," He told him shortly; Kenji's eyebrow rose. "In fact, didn't I just tell everyone to fucking leave? I don't want you here." He snapped and Seamus' eyebrows rose as he looked aside, preparing to move.

"I want him here," Virginia's voice broke through to Blaise and her eyes flashed.

"_You_ are shattered and just want a bed," Blaise muttered, although his eyes softened as he looked at her. "But I meant what I said, it's not fair..." His head motioned imperceptibly to his three best friends standing, looking very close to angry, behind him. Virginia understood him and nodded, taking Seamus' hand and leading him to the door. Theo could hear their hushed voices, yet not their words, and soon Seamus too had vacated the common room.

"Now are you going to tell us what the fuck is going on Zabini?" Kenji demanded tightly, throwing a half glance at Draco who was again sat in the sofa, gazing unseeingly at the marbled ceiling. Blaise paced to the fireplace and Virginia slipped unnoticeably into his vacated seat, curling up into Draco's side; whispering comforting words as she stroked her fingers through his silken locks. Blaise didn't turn around to look at them for the longest time, they even doubted he was going to answer Kenji, but eventually he did and Theo almost wished he hadn't.

"The Dark Lord is not pure," Silence met this announcement, Theo could not think of a word to say, he could not think of anything at all. Could it be true? But _how_? "He's a fucking mudblood and he's had us hoodwinked all our lives." Blaise told them; it was testament to the shock of it that not a trace of emotion laced his words. Theo still couldn't seem to process it. Voldemort, fucking _Voldemort_, was a mudblood. It was as though someone had come up and told you that water was dry; a total mindfuck in other words.

"How?" Pansy asked and there was no emotion either in her voice; it was as lifeless as it had ever been.

"The marks. He laces them with hallucinatory poison, a liquid glamour; everyone branded with it is not able to see the truth."

"But everyone else knows it?"

"Yes," Blaise smiled bitterly, "To make fools out of his followers even further. That's why I sent Finnegan out." His eyes met Virginia's briefly and she glanced at him calmly.

"But we have not been branded!" Kenji snarled, his mind reeling with disgust, "We are not followers of the dark lord. Why have _we_ not seen the truth?"

"We are underage," Draco's hoarse voice entered the conversation for the first time, "His glamour alone is strong enough to hoodwink an unqualified wizard. That's why he wants the initiation on our birthdays. If he timed it correctly the poison would enter our veins before we could sense the truth."

"Even with you two at your full power?" Kenji questioned, an eyebrow raised.

"He hoped," Draco replied, a ghost of a smile on his face and the corners of Blaise's mouth twitched.

"Well fuck this shit," Pansy muttered, taking a long swig from the bottle which lay discarded on the table. Virginia glanced up at Draco and Blaise, a light frown on her face.

"One thing, why did you clear the room? Surely the rest of you would wish to know?"

Blaise smiled wryly to himself at her unspoiled innocence.

"We can't trust them, ma cherie, we are Slytherin for a reason; some will blindly follow Voldemort regardless. We don't want him knowing that we know, not quite yet."

Kenji took a swig of brandy from the bottle Pansy passed before moving towards Blaise.

"We had a run in with your brother Virginia," Kenji smiled slyly as he leant against the wall and faced her. Her slight smile from whatever Draco was saying slipped rapidly.

"Oh?" She grimaced.

"Oh yes," Theo assured her drily. Blaise raised an eyebrow, looking between his two oldest friends beside Draco and almost hoping they'd done something illegal.

"What happened?"

"Potter has another broken nose, courtesy of Master Theodore Nott, and Weasley was being the biggest twat in the world as ever."

"Another broken nose?" Draco smirked.

"He was being a fucking bitch. Actually so was Weasel," Theo told them shortly, glowering at the memory. "About Kenji and his father."

Blaise, Draco and Virginia all froze at his last words. Kenji frowned, his senses sharpened.

"What?"

Blaise's head moved imperceptibly in his direction and Draco's jaw tightened yet still neither of them spoke.

"Malfoy, Zabini..." he growled. Virginia met his eyes determinedly and he raised an eyebrow in expectation.

"They mentioned you," She informed him levelly. "You and your father."

Kenji's eyes darkened as he spun around to Blaise, pushing him back against the wall.

"What the fuck did they say?" He questioned in such a low voice that Pansy and Theo, the opposite end of the room, had to strain to hear. Blaise easily slipped Kenji's hands off of him and his hands moved to the nape of Kenji's neck.

"Hush love, no one is, at present, in danger."  
"At present?" Kenji's eyes were sharp as they darted from Blaise to Draco.

"The name Mamoru, it's Japanese yes? What does it mean?" Blaise countered, choosing to ignore the question momentarily.

"Mamoru? The guard, protector of the realm," Kenji replied distractedly. "What about it; who's Mamoru?"

"He is one of the Three; the central one," Draco told him, his eyes flickering with a little pain as they fixed on Kenji.

"They told us to pass on a message via you to your father; they said that they would cordially welcome him home, or else would willingly visit him here in England." Blaise continued.

"Home?" Theo interrupted sharply. "As in Japan? As in those fuckers want to finish what they started?" Blaise answered in the affirmative. Nobody spoke for the longest while and then, without a word to anyone, Kenji strode from the room.

"Kenji!" Theo called out, taking a step towards him, but the door had already slammed shut behind his love and Kenji kept walking. Again. Staring unseeingly at the door, Theo leant heavily against the pillar behind him. Walking away was what Kenji did best, but Theo still was not used to it.

For the longest time and the other four stared at Theo in pain, their hearts pining for him. Draco and Blaise exchanged a terse look before Blaise moved to Virginia's side, offering a hand to her.

"Come, sweetheart," He murmured. She obliged and together the two departed to Draco and Blaise's room, Virginia throwing a last glance at Pansy who gazed numbly back before swiftly departing the common room.

Draco moved nimbly to Theo's side and, cupping the latter's cheek with the palm of his hand, lifted Theo's head just a little. The anguish-filled eyes that gazed at him from beneath the midnight lashes made him want to scream with anger at whoever had caused one of his dearest friends such pain. But he couldn't. He couldn't because the other was Kenji, and Kenji had every right to do what he did; Draco was the one with no right to do anything. So he did the only thing he still could; his lips met the others with forceful fluidity. Theo made a choked noise, almost as though to cry, but did not object as Draco's arm wrapped around his waist, his fingers tangling in his hair. He allowed the ice prince to do whatever he wanted in an attempt to save him, and Theo tried to pour everything into that embrace, tried to drown all his sorrows. Pulling back at last, Draco gazed down at Theo with concern still shimmering in his eyes.

"It'll be alright, my love, I promise to you that you will be alright."

"And Kenji?" Theo demanded, "Can you promise that he will be alright?"

Draco's heart skipped a beat as he paused before answering.

"Yes, and we will do all it takes to keep that promise, Theo darling." It was Blaise; Theo had failed to notice his approach beside Draco. Blaise touched his lips to Theo's forehead, his kiss lingering as he withdrew.

"Sleep, Theo," He murmured as his hand caressed Theo's cheek.

"We will watch for his return tonight," Draco assured him, and they all knew who he spoke of. Theo looked up at both of them, understanding passing between them and Theo nodded before turning and walking to his room as Draco and Blaise wrapped their arms about one another.

A long while later Draco spoke, "Is Virginia-"

"Asleep, oui," Blaise murmured softly. Draco's free hand tangled in the raven coloured locks, his eyes gazing into the velvet flecked abyss. A few moments later they both simultaneously closed their eyes when a feeling, as though of a candle being blown out, touched them.

"He's gone," Blaise spoke softly.

"Headed to the mountains," Draco agreed.

"What are we going to do Dray?"

"Keep her safe."

"And then?"

Draco paused momentarily, his mind distracted by thoughts of Kenji running alone in the forest, Theo becoming ever reliant on the numbing veils provided by the alcohol he so readily devoured, and Pansy who stood alone in a darkening corridor, wondering when it all had changed...

"We keep them all safe." His eyes never left his loves and Blaise nodded just once, before their lips found each other in a loving embrace. The image of Virginia lying in sleep upon their bed brought a smile to Blaise's face and he drew Draco by the hand into their chamber, a sly smile on his face.

oOo

It was dark and he was running. He was concentrating on running fast enough that he didn't have to think, didn't have to feel. It wasn't working. His mind reeled. They had come to finish what they had started; to finish his father. Images flashed through his mind of his father's drawn, tired face. Of Isamu's beautiful lost love, his stunningly demure daughter, and the luscious lashes which framed such masculine eyes... Kenji blinked. No, he would not go there.

But it was too late, each time he blinked he saw the darkly toned face, the shimmering eyes, the curled hair the colour of charcoal; the exact same shade of his own... Kenji ran faster, the wind was whispering his name; whispering his name in a voice he had not heard in years.

With a desperate cry, he lunged. He was changing slowly, slowly, slowly; the words were moving further away, the memories a distant shimmer in the backdrop of his mind.

And then they were gone, and it was only the wolf.

* * *

_Hmm... Comments? I will love you forever if you reply, as always._


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